Middle East & Africa | Iraq, Iran and Israel

Iraq could be the Middle East’s next battleground

Until recently violence was at its lowest since the American invasion

Members of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces gather with flags at the funeral of a slain fighter in Baghdad
Photograph: Getty Images

No sooner had it unleashed the first of its drones at Israel on November 8th than the Iraqi militia published an image of missiles streaking through the sky. Israel said its aerial defences had thwarted the attack by al-Nujaba (“the Nobles”). “Big surprises in the coming hours,” the group promised—in Hebrew as well as Arabic: “God willing, many events”.

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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “The latest expansion”

From the November 16th 2024 edition

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