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An armed drone launched by Iraqi-based terrorists struck the port of the southern Israeli city of Eilat on September 25, causing damage and lightly injuring two civilians, including a 68-year-old and a 28-year-old. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it identified two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iraq that approached Eilat. An Israeli Navy Sa’ar 5-class corvette missile ship downed one UAV, while the second struck the port. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a grouping of militias and front organizations backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack.“The Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacked … a vital target in occupied Umm al-Rashrash ‘Eilat,’” the group said in a statement published on Telegram.
Iraqi militias have starkly increased attacks against Israel in response to IDF operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah. On September 22, the IDF said that it intercepted a UAV fired from Iraq that approached Israeli territory from Syria. Earlier that day, the IDF reported that it identified a UAV launched from Iraq and fired several missile defense interceptors at the target. On September 21, the IDF said it intercepted multiple “suspicious aerial targets” that approached Israeli territory from Iraq.
Expert Analysis
“While the Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have not had success in striking Israel with drones thus far, their entry into this war is a worrying development for Israel. The IDF must devote resources that could be used in other theaters to counter the growing threat posed by the Iraqi militias. Like the Houthi threat to Israel, the threat of the Iraqi militias did not exist 20 years ago. Iran has mustered its proxies to wage war on Israel from all over the region.” — Bill Roggio, Senior Fellow and Editor of FDD’s Long War Journal
“Iran strategically employs its regional proxies and clients based on their military capabilities. In this context, Iraqi militias allied with the Axis of Resistance escalated their attacks on Israeli targets over the launch of Operation Northern Arrows in Lebanon. The Iran-directed militias’ actions are intended to impose a cost on Israel following the losses Hezbollah is currently suffering in manpower and infrastructure at the hands of the Jewish state.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal
Attacks From Iraq Against Israel
Since October 7, Iran-backed militias in Iraq have conducted multiple drone attacks against Israel, including a strike on a power plant on March 21. On March 31, the pro-Iran media outlet Al-Mayadeen reported that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted the Christian village of Eilaboun in the Galilee. The following day, the IDF confirmed that a drone launched from Iraq by these militias fell near an Israeli naval base in Eilat, where air defenses did not intercept it. The IDF said it identified a “suspicious aerial target” approaching Eilat from the east, noting, “No injuries were reported, and minimal damage was inflicted on a structure.” The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility, stating it had targeted a “vital objective” in Israel “using appropriate weapons.” The militias have also increased their drone and missile assaults on U.S. and coalition forces in the region following the Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel on October 7.
