Escalating Attacks on U.S. Facilities in Iraq Amid Israel-Hamas War

Iraqi Prime Minister al-Sudani Struggles to Balance Relations Amid Rising Tensions

Dozens of attacks on U.S. military facilities by Iran-backed factions in Iraq have escalated tensions in the region, with a recent rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad marking a significant escalation.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, brought to power by a coalition of Iran-backed groups, has condemned the attacks and U.S. counter-strikes as a violation of Iraq's sovereignty.
Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, at least 91 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria have been claimed by an umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militants, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have both communicated to al-Sudani that attacks against U.S. forces must stop, with Blinken stating that the U.S. expects Iraqi officials to take more action to prevent such attacks.
Analyst Renad Mansour believes Iran is ensuring the attacks remain below a threshold that would provoke a major U.S. response, maintaining a clear line that Iraq cannot destabilize the Sudani government.