Iraq tightens security as US pulls Patriot missiles and Trump cancels Iran strike

In the past week Iraq has taken steps to prevent its territory from being used as a launchpad for regional attacks. The Iraqi National Security Council approved a security plan after reports that Iranian‑backed armed groups launched drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities and that a Ukrainian strike hit an Iranian merchant vessel in the Caspian Sea. The United States began withdrawing Patriot missile systems and personnel from Erbil International Airport, and Prime Minister Ali Falih ez‑Zeydi warned that Iraq will not allow its soil to serve as a corridor for attacks against neighboring states.

At the same time, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz publicly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel a planned large‑scale operation against Iran, threatening Tehran with severe retaliation. The cancellation sparked a crisis in Tel Aviv, which had raised its defense alert level in anticipation of the U.S. strike. Both developments underscore rising tensions among Iraq, the United States, Iran, Israel and regional allies.