Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi oversees disarmament and anti-smuggling probes amid regional turbulence; a high-stakes reformist figure navigating militia pressure and sovereignty shifts.
Kurdistan authorities have reported Iranian-launched drones struck the private office of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the residence of the region's security agency chief on 17 August, with no casualties. The attacks come as Baghdad presses for a September 30 deadline to bring armed factions under state control and as cross-border strikes and US-Saudi operations have raised tensions across Iraq.
The government has signaled it may extend talks on weapon handover to state control beyond the September deadline as negotiations with Iran-aligned factions continue. Talks are ongoing, with mediation from Coordination Framework leaders, and the aim remains to restrict weapons to the state while avoiding a confrontation.
The United States plans to withdraw its military coalition from Iraq by Sept. 30, 2026, as Baghdad and Washington finalize the exit, with air defence systems in Erbil to be removed and weapons under state control to follow. The transition aims to prevent a security vacuum while maintaining security cooperation.
Houthi forces have struck multiple sites in southern Saudi Arabia, causing fires and injuring dozens, the Saudi energy ministry has said. The Saudi-led coalition has reported at least 73 people injured in attacks on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran and has vowed a firm military response. The Houthis have promised a statement on a "large-scale military operation."
Iraq has agreed to a joint investigation with Iran into drone launch sites near the border, while border crossings with Iran are closed. The Saudi East-West pipeline has been attacked, with Riyadh suspending the route as security reviews proceed. Officials say no group has claimed responsibility.
The Houthis have expanded control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, seizing a key island in Bab el-Mandeb and threatening global oil routes. Iraq and Iran-backed militias are implicated in attacks on the East-West Saudi pipeline, prompting Saudi closure and heightened regional tension as global oil markets brace for prices to rise.
Iraq has closed three border crossings with Iran as security forces pursue perpetrators of a Saudi pipeline drone attack launched from Iraqi soil. Authorities are tightening border operations and tracing drone launch sites near the border.
Iraq and France are pushing for diversified export routes to secure energy supplies as the Middle East crisis worsens. Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi has met European leaders in Paris and Berlin to discuss expanding export corridors, with TotalEnergies signaling greater investment and a roadmap for defence and energy collaboration.
The United States is finalizing a drawdown in northern Iraq, with hundreds of troops set to depart by September 30. Iraq’s government links the exit to a demand for militias to disarm, but Iran-backed groups are signaling that disarmament is unlikely and favor regulation instead. Tehran seeks to keep influence in Iraq while Baghdad weighs its options amid regional tensions.
Regional ballots in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have shown heavy losses for Friedrich Merz’s CDU and strong gains for the far-right AfD, two weeks after the AfD routed the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt. Merz has cancelled travel, convened CDU leaders and cleared his diary as party figures warn the results will increase pressure on his leadership.
Drones launched from Iraqi soil have disrupted the East-West oil pipeline, triggering Iraqi authorities to close three border crossings and sack a Missan province commander. Baghdad is reviewing operations as it probes the incident, while Saudi Arabia suspends the pipeline route.
Baghdad has effectively shifted the deadline for surrendering militia weapons, with a new process and oversight directorate in place as Iran-backed groups push back on timelines. Officials say this underscores a prolonged, state-led effort to consolidate armed power and secure the monopoly on force.
Iraq and Turkey have agreed to establish full state authority in Sinjar and end the presence of outlawed armed elements. Turkish forces will hand over a Bashiqa-Zilkan base to Baghdad under an agreed mechanism, with a timetable not specified. The pact follows talks between Erdogan and al-Zaidi at the UN General Assembly, and aligns with earlier Kurdish armed groups’ disarmament efforts.
The US-led coalition has formally concluded its combat and operational presence in Iraq, winding down to an advisory role. Iraqi forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga are expected to lead security efforts, with the government emphasising sovereignty while pro-Iran factions press for disarmament and continued influence.
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.
The United States-led coalition has completed its orderly withdrawal from Erbil, handing security responsibilities to Iraqi forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga. Iraq aims to preserve sovereignty amid Iran-aligned pressure and regional volatility. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is pushing to place weapons under state control while diversifying the economy to reduce external influence.
The PKK has vacated camps in Iraq’s Metina region, a move Turkish officials say advances a peace process after parliament approved a conditional pardon law. The PKK’s leadership remains in northern Iraq, with Turkey stressing that full dissolution and disarmament are prerequisites for broader reintegration and legal measures.
Turkish President has indicated that Turkish troops remain in northern Iraq and Syria to guard borders and contain PKK and Daesh threats. The number of troops is kept proportional to ground needs, and a reassessment will occur once security conditions and state authority are established across Syria and borders are secure.
Iraq has approved 11 portfolios, including defense and interior ministers, and appointed three deputy prime ministers. Prime Minister al-Zaidi vows to combat corruption and strengthen sovereignty amid economic and security pressures from regional conflict and the US–Iran war on Iran.
Arab News and Al Jazeera report a thaw in Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian relations. Erdogan plans a Syria visit; Iraq-Syria dialogue focuses on security, energy and trade. Damascus and Baghdad are reviving energy links and coordinating on regional stability.
Kurdish regional rivals the KDP and PUK have intensified a power struggle that threatens a dual administration in Iraqi Kurdistan. After parliament reconvened amid controversy, the PUK has withdrawn from the regional government, while the KDP pushes for a governance framework that may redefine regional authority amid broader regional tensions.
Airstrikes and missile or drone strikes have killed dozens of civilians in Yemen and damaged buildings in Saudi Arabia this week, raising fears of a wider regional spillover. Houthi-run health authorities have reported at least 44 dead near Sanaa; Saudi officials say an East‑West pipeline in Medina suffered a "limited fire" but operations continued and there were no casualties. International reactions and claims have conflicted.
Iraq has reopened the Sheeb border crossing with Iran after completing technical requirements, while Mandali remains temporarily closed for maintenance. Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein says Washington has urged Baghdad to close most crossings with Iran, with discussions ongoing. The developments come as Iraq faces economic strain from the Iran war and related disruptions to oil exports.
A drone strike against the Khor Mor gas field has halted gas supplies in the Kurdistan region, knocking out 2.5–2.8 gigawatts of electricity and triggering a joint investigation by the Iraqi central government and Kurdistan authorities. Officials say there are no casualties. The attack arrives amid rising regional tensions linked to the wider Iran–US conflict and internal Iraqi political disputes.
Former Iraqi Sunni politician Ahmed Al-Alwani has been found dead in a Beirut apartment. Lebanese investigators say preliminary findings point to strangulation, with a Lebanese national arrested and two Syrians sought. Iraqi authorities coordinate with Lebanon to identify suspects as DNA testing is expedited.
The Iraqi prime minister has ordered a judiciary referral for those involved in oil smuggling and has dismissed nine officials after an investigation into illicit refineries in Jurf al-Sakhar, a Kataib Hezbollah stronghold south of Baghdad. Tehran-aligned groups face pressure as Baghdad seeks to bring militias under state control amid broader US-Iran tensions.