The US-led coalition concluded its mission in Iraq on Wednesday, marking the end of a significant military presence in the country. Washington and Baghdad reached an agreement in 2024 to wind down the coalition's mission.
US troops withdrew gradually from bases across Iraq, limiting their remaining presence to the autonomous northern Kurdistan region. The exit of the remaining UK military personnel, numbering around 100, from Irbil in the northern Kurdistan region was coordinated with US forces on Wednesday.
Ali al-Zaidi stated that a new phase has begun, one defined by Iraq's sovereignty, the strength of its institutions, and the readiness of its forces. The Iraqi government set Thursday as the deadline for various factions to disarm.
Kataeb Hezbollah stated that the withdrawal of 'the occupation forces ... is a start towards achieving full sovereignty.' The Iraqi government believes this withdrawal will remove the pretext that Tehran-backed factions have used to maintain their weaponry.
A military spokesperson for Hezbollah noted that the factions had been discussing 'regulating' their weapons but 'have not yet received a response from the Iraqi government.' The same spokesperson for Hezbollah asserted that the factions are 'not bound by any timeline or agreement to surrender their weapons.'
Furthermore, the spokesperson for Hezbollah claimed the right to 'directly respond to any American or Zionist violation of Iraq's sovereignty.' The US Department of Defence confirmed it will continue to supply targeted training and intelligence support to Iraqi partners.
