Shebl al-Zaidi, head of Kataib al-Imam, said over the weekend that his group agreed to the Iraqi state holding a monopoly over weapons. Similar statements were made by Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq; Haider al-Gharrawi, head of Ansar Allah al-Awfiya; the Kata'ib Sayyid ul-Shuhada militia; and others.

Following these declarations, Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council chief, Faiq Zaidan, issued a statement on Saturday saying the militias had responded positively to calls for exclusive state control of arms. Kata'ib Hezbollah and al-Nujaba rejected the statement.

Sources told the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that Iraqi officials recently received detailed intelligence on the militias, allegedly passed on through a Western intelligence body. According to the report, the information included details on militia leaderships, their military structures, financial networks and Iraqi government figures identified as having ties to them.

The Iraqi officials were reportedly stunned by the volume and precision of the information, which was described as a practical warning of a possible military operation. The report said the intelligence had been preceded by a warning from a "friendly Arab country" to Iraq about a potential attack.

In this context, the Saudi newspaper claimed that any strikes could target training camps, missile and drone depots, institutions and influential figures associated with the militias. Over the past year, the US has increased pressure on the Iraqi government to collect militia weapons and dismantle the groups. More recently, it was reported that the Trump administration had set a condition that Iraq's next prime minister must not be affiliated with the militias.

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Sources told Saudi channel Al-Hadath that Barrack warned of an imminent Israeli operation in Lebanon against Hezbollah. The operation is expected to continue until the terrorist organization is disarmed. Barrack further stressed that if Iraqi "factions" – a term used to describe the pro-Iranian militias – interfere in favor of Hezbollah, Iraq would be targeted.

Additional sources in Baghdad said the American envoy asked al-Sudani to play a "constructive role" in stabilizing Syria and briefed him on recent developments concerning Lebanon. An advisor to the Iraqi government said Barrack conveyed a clear message that the pro-Iranian militias must refrain from any action that could aid Hezbollah in Lebanon, whether financially or militarily. The main objective of the message was to prevent any Iraqi involvement in a regional escalation.

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Based on foreign reports and Israeli assessments, the raid was likely meant to counter the Syrian army's activity of trying to dismantle the installed Israeli listening devices. Six Syrian soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday in the same area after they attempted to dismantle the IDF's listening posts, according to reports.

Video: The alleged Israeli strikes in Syria on Wednesday August 28, 2025 (Credit: Social media)

In the al-Kiswah region, the Iranians have been active in recent years, establishing weapon and armament depots alongside the weapon depots of the Syrian army's 1st Division. Approximately two years ago, the Israeli Air Force struck Iranian targets in the region.

A pro-Syrian communication network that broadcasts from Turkey reported unusual IDF activity shortly before midnight, lasting for about two hours. The IDF, it said, conducted about 15 strikes in the Tel Manea and al-Kiswah area in the southern Damascus Governorate, where Syrian army headquarters were attacked, presumably to soften the area before IDF helicopters landed troops in the Sweida Governorate and in al-Kiswah.

The strikes by Israeli Air Force aircraft stopped Syrian forces from approaching the site where the listening equipment was located. The Al-Jazeera network also confirmed through its sources that IDF forces had landed in the al-Kiswah area.

According to assessments, the prolonged presence of the commandos on the ground was designed to gather documents and additional findings to better understand Iranian activities and intentions in the region.

Official Israel has not issued a formal response to the operation, but Minister of Defense Israel Katz boasted on the X network Thursday morning with a message that could be interpreted as a hint about the operation, stating, "Our forces are operating in all combat zones day and night for the security of Israel."

The operation is occurring against the backdrop of the continuing collapse of the Syrian regime and Israel's efforts to reinforce its strategic foothold in Syria, while preventing renewed Iranian entrenchment in the region.

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