Senior IDF and Mossad officials are warning about an emerging threat to Israel’s home front from Iraq, Walla News reported.

Sources in the IDF’s Northern Command report that Iran is intensifying its investment in pro-Iranian militias and terror infrastructure in Iraq. The IDF and Mossad are preparing for long-range missile and drone launches—and even a possible ground maneuver from Iraq via Syria to the Israeli/Jordanian border

The report that added Iranian Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani recently visited Iraq and met with senior militia leaders to coordinate their preparations to launch a regional confrontation.

During the first year of the war against Hamas after the October 7 massacre, Iraq became an active front in the battle against Israel. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of pro-Iranian militias, viewed itself as another front in the Iranian axis and described its attacks as “support for Gaza.” Eilat, the Arava, and the Golan Heights were marked as key targets. Over that period, two Israeli soldiers were killed and dozens were wounded by missiles and drones launched from Iraq.

The attacks began as early as October 2023, when rockets and UAVs were launched at American bases in Iraq and Syria and later at Israel. On December 27 of that year, a drone launched from Iraq exploded at the Pik airstrip in the Golan Heights. In April 2024, a drone hit a Navy base in Eilat, and in September, two Israelis were wounded in another explosion at the Eilat port.

On October 2, 2024, Sgt. Daniel Aviv Chaim Sofer, H’yd, and Cpl. Tal Dror, H’d were killed by a drone-launched explosive from Iraq toward the northern Golan. Later that month, the Air Force intercepted a series of drones launched from Iraq toward the Gulf of Eilat and the Jordan Valley.

After Trump’s successful bid for the White House, the “Trump Effect” began to be felt in the region, and by late December 2024, Iraq announced that Iranian-backed militias operating from its territory had halted attacks against Israel, following pressure from the US.

Iraqi parliamentary Defense and Security Committee member Yasserr Watut stated at the time, “Iraq received threats from Israel and the United States because of the militias’ actions,” and therefore, the launches were halted.

However, Israeli security officials are now warning that the quiet from the Iraqi front may be temporary, emphasizing that the terror militias continue to train, acquire advanced weaponry, and serve as another active arm of Iran in the northeastern front—a front that could ignite at any moment.

What is Israel doing to prepare for the threat? Security barrier construction along Israel’s eastern border is advancing. The Defense Ministry recently announced that it has completed the first round of tenders and will begin construction in the coming weeks, stating that strengthening national security and strategic control along the eastern border is a central part of its strategy. 

The first stage will focus on the Emek region, from Hamat Gader to Yardena. Later, work will begin in the Jordan Valley sector, from the “Yellow Checkpoint” to the Yafit yishuv.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, who is leading the efforts to fortify the border, stated, “Looking ahead at the emerging threats, we must act with urgency and strengthen our strategic hold along the eastern border. This is not merely a physical barrier but a complete multi-layered defense system that will include the deployment of mobile forces adapted to the terrain and evolving threats. Alongside this, we will promote Zionist security settlements, invest in security and civilian infrastructure, and create industrial growth engines. This is a national mission that must involve all government ministries as well as the civilian and business sectors.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)