Baghdad

BEHIND THE LINES: Despite setbacks, Iraq’s Iranian-backed militias continue to thrive politically, posing a lasting threat to Israel’s security.

The move will likely be welcomed by Washington, which has long sought to reduce Iran's influence in Iraq and other countries in the Middle East where Tehran has allies.

Iraq is the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which Trump has regularly criticized for trying to keep oil prices high.

"They would hang me by my wrists, and start beating me with a stick and using even harsher methods of torture and saying, 'I want something new,'" said Tsurkov.

The warning came a month after sources in the Northern Command told Walla that Israel was seeing an increased threat from the country.

Iraqi Kurdistan-based General Yazdanpanah says calls for “decentralization are meaningless, as they will not ensure Kurdish rights in Syria being upheld, nor will they provide Kurds with freedom."

A drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq causes major power outages in northern regions, damaging key infrastructure and halting gas supplies to power stations.

Muhannad al-Khazraji, the recently elected member of parliament, had run under the banner of the Badr Organization, which is a large pro-Iranian group in Iraq.

Iranian-backed militias used to infiltrate into Syria via the unguarded border - as such, any wall would actually hurt Iran’s project to control the Middle East.

Prime Minister Sudani's bloc wins Iraq's election, but forming a new government may take months due to challenges in building a majority and balancing US-Iran influence.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani called the vote decisive for the country's long-term direction, as it comes amid political splintering, voter fatigue, and realignments among key factions.