What's happened
The final U.S. troops have withdrawn from Iraq, ending Operation Inherent Resolve. Tehran and its allies call the pullout a victory and push for American forces to leave the region. Iraqi leaders warn security gaps could follow, as militias and Islamic State remnants pose fresh risks.
What's behind the headline?
Brief
- The exit marks a turning point in U.S. engagement in the Middle East, shifting security responsibilities to Iraqi authorities.
- Tehran views the move as a strategic gain for its axis of resistance and aims to broaden influence in regional politics.
- Iraqi security forces face a transition period; experts warn of potential IS sleeper cells and the need for robust air defense and intelligence monitoring.
Forecast
- Iraq will rely more on its own security institutions while seeking ongoing, targeted U.S. support in training and intelligence.
- Regional actors will recalibrate posture as Western military footprints recede, possibly increasing militias' leverage in state institutions.
How we got here
The United States has formally concluded its longest war in the region, with troops leaving Erbil and other bases after years of fighting Islamic State and supporting Iraqi forces. The withdrawal, agreed in 2024, comes as Iran expands influence via allied groups and as concerns grow about security vacuums in Iraq.
Our analysis
The articles from Arab News, The Japan Times, The Times of Israel, New York Times, France 24 all describe the withdrawal and immediate reactions; several stress concerns about security vacuums and the role of Iranian proxies. Direct quotes pull from the Times of Israel and The Times of Israel reporting on reactions and expert analysis.
Go deeper
- What changes for Iraqi security forces in the post-coalition era?
- How might Iran's proxies adjust their influence without a Western military presence?
- What concrete steps will Iraq take to secure borders and urban centers without US intel support?
More on these topics
-
Islamic State - Form of government
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law. As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world.
-
The United States of America - Country in North America
The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
-
Iraq - Country in the Middle East
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in Western Asia, bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait to the southeast, Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the southwest and Syria to the west.
-
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolutionary Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, and later, the Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party and its regional organization the Ira
-
Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran) - Country in the Middle East
Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
-
Baghdad - Capital of Iraq
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and the third-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo and Riyadh. Located along the Tigris River, the city was founded in the 8th century, and became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.
-
Joe Biden - President of the United States
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
-
Donald Trump - 45th and 47th U.S. President
Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
-
Erbil - Capital of Kurdistan Region in Iraq
Erbil (Arabic: أربيل, romanized: ʾArbīl; Syriac: ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, romanized: Arbēl), also called Hawler (Kurdish: هەولێر, romanized: Hewlêr), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the capital of the Erbil Governorate. Erbil is described as the region's cultural, economic, industrial, educational and medical hub. Erbil is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Human settlement at Erbil may be dated back to the 5th millennium BC. At the heart of the city is the ancient Citadel of Erbil and Mudhafaria Minaret. The earliest historical reference to the region dates to the Third Dynasty of Ur of Sumer, when King Shulgi mentioned the city of Urbilum. The city was later conquered by the Assyrians. In the 3rd millennium BC, Erbil was an independent power in its area. It was conquered for a time by the Gutians. Beginning in the late 2nd millennium BC, it came under Assyrian control. Subsequent to this, it was part of the geopolitical province of Assyria under several empires in turn, including the Median Empire, the Achaemenid Empire (Achaemenid Assyria), Macedonian Empire, Seleucid Empire, Armenian Empire, Parthian Empire, Roman Assyria and...
-
Operation Inherent Resolve - Military combat
Operation Inherent Resolve is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against ISIL, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya.