IntelBrief: Iran-Backed Militias Pressure U.S. Forces in Iraq and Syria

Bottom Line Up Front

• Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria are exploiting the Israel-Hamas war to both support the Palestinian cause and advance their own strategic agendas.
• The Iraqi and Syrian militias are targeting U.S. forces rather than Israel itself, partly due to their limited capabilities, but also to try to push the U.S. military out of the region.
• Militia attacks have injured U.S. personnel, prompting three rounds of U.S. retaliation, but have not sparked a full-fledged regional expansion of the Israel-Hamas war to date.
• Iran-backed militias in Iraq are trying to outflank government leaders who assess that U.S. military help for Iraqi forces is still vital to stability and prosperity.