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Shafaq News
35 minutes ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq's airspace breached: Sovereignty at risk
Shafaq News/ Political and military reactions intensified in Iraq after repeated violations of its airspace amid ongoing Israeli strikes on Iran, now entering their second week. The Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee warned of continued breaches by combat drones, describing them as a violation of Iraq's sovereignty. Committee member Mohammad al-Mohammadi told Shafaq News Agency that Iraq rejects all forms of airspace violations and is not a party to any regional conflict. Al-Mohammadi pointed out that Iraq seeks to avoid regional entanglement and supports diplomatic solutions, warning that drones pose a danger to civilians, especially in populated areas. 'The Iraqi military has radar systems capable of detecting drones but lacks the firepower to intercept them due to limited technological capabilities.' The Iraqi government submitted a formal complaint to the UN Security Council last week, condemning Israel for using Iraqi airspace in military operations. Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi said the ministry is expecting the first batch of a new air defense system from South Korea in the coming months, confirming that a strategic agreement was signed with South Korea's LIG Nex1 to supply Iraq with modern systems. Al-Abbasi said the ministry has also received a shipment of French Caracal helicopters and that further deliveries are planned. On Tuesday, the Iraqi Parliament formed a joint committee to investigate delays in acquiring air defense systems. Since June 13, Iraq's airspace has become a corridor for drones and missiles amid intensified conflict between Israel and Iran.
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Redrawing the map: How Iran–Israel war is reshaping the Middle East
Shafaq News/ Since the Hamas-led Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, the Middle East has experienced an unrelenting chain of upheavals. What began as a sudden and devastating incursion into Israeli territory evolved into a regional conflagration, drawing in state and non-state actors, shaking the core of long-standing alliances, and dismantling the fragile stability that once defined the post-Arab Spring order. At the center of this transformation stand two arch-rivals: Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The escalation that erupted in June 2025 between Israel and Iran is not an anomaly, but the culmination of years of covert hostilities, diplomatic friction, and strategic miscalculations. The events now unfolding in open warfare—including cross-border missile strikes, drone swarms, and targeted assassinations—are radically reshaping the Middle East's power dynamics and redrawing the region's strategic map. For decades, Iran and Israel conducted their confrontation through proxy wars, espionage operations, and cyberattacks. Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen became arenas of indirect competition. Israel systematically targeted Iranian positions in Syria and covertly sabotaged elements of Tehran's nuclear and military infrastructure, while Iran, through its so-called "Axis of Resistance," leveraged Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi factions to pressure Israeli and American interests. This dynamic persisted until the tectonic rupture of October 2023. Hamas' surprise attack on Israel—aided, according to Israeli and Western intelligence assessments, by Iranian logistical and strategic backing—reignited full-scale war in Gaza and set the stage for broader regional confrontation. Israel's overwhelming military response in Gaza led to tens of thousands of casualties, prompting Iran-aligned actors to escalate operations from Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. By early 2024, Israel and Iran had entered a new phase: one of sustained, direct, though still largely deniable attacks. Israeli airstrikes intensified against Iranian commanders in Syria and Iraq, while suspected Mossad operations targeted nuclear scientists and IRGC personnel deep within Iranian territory. Iran, in turn, increased its support to regional players and expanded its drone and missile programs, preparing for a scenario where deterrence might fail. That failure came on June 13, 2025, when Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, striking multiple Iranian nuclear and military sites, including Natanz, Fordow, and Tehran. The operation resulted in the deaths of senior IRGC commanders, nuclear experts, and political figures. Iran's airspace was sealed, and retaliatory planning began immediately. 'This is not a spontaneous conflict,' said Dr. Haitham al-Hiti, professor of political science at the University of Exeter. 'It's part of a broader regional restructuring—starting with Hezbollah assassinations, now moving through Iran's command structure, and possibly reaching Iraq and Lebanon.' Iran's counter-operation, dubbed True Promise 3, marked a turn with Tehran directly fired hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli territory. Civilian and military targets were hit in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Bat Yam, and the Gush Dan area. Israeli casualties surpassed two dozen, while Iran reported more than 200 fatalities from the initial strikes. Beyond the destruction, what sets this confrontation apart is its regional resonance. Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar launched urgent diplomatic initiatives. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that the conflict could 'drag the entire region into the fire,' and began intensive phone diplomacy with key Arab and Iranian leaders. 'Israel's aggression could ignite a devastating regional war,' Erdogan said, noting the potential for refugee flows, economic collapse, and the collapse of security arrangements in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. Saudi Arabia, historically cautious in its dealings with Iran, sought to reclaim its role as a balancing force. A diplomatic source told Shafaq News, 'Riyadh is seeking to reclaim its place as a regional anchor, stepping into a mediation role once held by Qatar and Oman.' Yet these efforts have yielded little. The collapse of traditional deterrence and the erosion of international diplomatic credibility have allowed the military logic to dominate. The Muscat channel between Tehran and Washington was suspended. UN efforts were paralyzed by US veto power and a lack of consensus among major powers. 'The UN doesn't have the freedom to act without US approval,' said Lebanese analyst George Alam. 'That makes any international initiative vulnerable to paralysis.' Meanwhile, Iran has framed its retaliation as part of a broader realignment. 'These focused and retaliatory operations will continue until the Zionist entity is eliminated,' the IRGC declared after confirming the death of Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi, head of its Intelligence Organization. Egyptian expert Mounir Adeeb emphasizes that the conflict has exposed the fragility of the global system, 'Major powers, led by the United States, were direct enablers of the Israeli strike,' he said. 'They turned a blind eye to violations of international law and allowed red lines to be crossed. The result was war.' Internally, Iran now faces the twin challenges of sustaining a long war and containing potential unrest. Kurdish movements in the northwest and Ahvazi activists in the southwest are reportedly organizing demonstrations amid the crisis. Israeli analysts speculate that continued strikes on Iranian infrastructure may be designed to exacerbate internal fractures. 'If Iran collapses internally or fragments,' warned Dr. al-Hiti, 'we could see the emergence of new secessionist waves—Kurdish independence, Ahvazi autonomy, even unrest in Iraq. That's how geopolitical maps change.' And while regional states seek to prevent such an outcome, the war has already forced governments to recalibrate. Iraq has condemned the use of its airspace by Israeli forces. Armed factions aligned with Tehran have threatened to target US bases if Washington intervenes. The Houthis have escalated strikes on Israeli interests in the Red Sea. Hezbollah has declared its full support for Iran. The consequences are not limited to military strategy. Oil prices have surged. International flights have been suspended across several countries. Diplomacy has stalled. Most importantly, a new regional paradigm is taking shape—one defined not by US-led alliances or post-ISIS stability, but by direct state conflict, multipolar competition, and the return of mass-scale confrontation. As the missiles continue to fall, one thing is increasingly clear: the Middle East is undergoing a strategic reordering. Whether this leads to a new balance of power or deeper fragmentation remains uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the rules have changed—and so has the map.
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Mass judicial exodus threatens Iraqi elections
Shafaq News/ Iraq is heading toward a constitutional crisis just months before parliamentary elections on November 11, 2025, as the mass resignation of Federal Supreme Court judges threatens to derail the electoral timeline, a top legal expert warned on Friday. Hazem al-Rudaini, Deputy Head of Iraq's Strategic Center for Human Rights (SCHR), cautioned that the resignations jeopardize the legal foundation of the election. 'It is constitutionally impossible to hold parliamentary elections without the Federal Supreme Court,' he said, pointing to Article 93(7) of the 2005 Constitution, which grants the Court sole authority to ratify election results. Nine judges, including six principal members, resigned Thursday in protest over political pressure, reportedly linked to the Court's 2023 ruling that annulled the 2013 Khor Abdullah maritime agreement with Kuwait. A judicial source told Shafaq News that the fallout from that decision triggered their departure. Members of the Parliamentary Legal Committee expressed alarm. MP Mohammed al-Khafaji described the resignations as 'deeply troubling,' while MP Raed al-Maliki accused political factions of hijacking the judiciary. 'The government and certain parties want to turn the Federal Court into a tool, all while claiming to protect national sovereignty,' he asserted. Al-Maliki criticized the broader 'failure' of Iraq's Shiite leadership to insulate institutions from political interference, warning that the situation sets a dangerous precedent and confirming that parliament is holding emergency consultations to safeguard judicial independence. The crisis stems from a September 2023 ruling in which the Court nullified Law No. 42 of 2013, invalidating Iraq's navigation agreement with Kuwait over the Khor Abdullah waterway. The Court ruled the law unconstitutional, claiming it lacked the two-thirds majority required under Article 61(4). In April 2025, Iraq's president and prime minister appealed the ruling, arguing the agreement covered maritime coordination—not border demarcation—and should fall under Iraq's obligations under the 1966 Vienna Convention.
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Pezeshkian: No peace without Immediate End to Israeli airstrikes
Shafaq News/ Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned, on Friday, that de-escalation hinges entirely on an 'immediate and unconditional stop' to Israeli military operations. Pezeshkian stressed that Iran seeks peace but will not remain passive under attack, stating on X, 'We have always pursued regional stability, but if the aggression persists, our response will intensify. The enemy [Israel] will come to regret its actions.' ما همواره در پی صلح و آرامش بودهایم، اما در شرایط فعلی تنها راه پایان جنگ تحمیلی، «توقف بیقید و شرط» تجاوز دشمن و تضمین قطعی برای پایان ماجراجوییهای تروریستهای صهیونیستی برای همیشه است. در غیر این صورت پاسخهای ما به دشمن سختتر و پشیمانکنندهتر است. — Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) June 20, 2025 Earlier today, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reaffirmed that Iran would not engage in dialogue with any party while Israeli airstrikes persist.
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Israeli Army: We are preparing for escalation against Iran
Shafaq News/ Iran can continue launching attacks against Israel, and the army is working to eliminate these threats, Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said on Friday. 'Iran has military capabilities and will strike us again in the future. We are prepared to confront it,' Defrin stated in a press briefing. He emphasized that 'the security and safety of Israeli citizens remain our top priority,' adding that Israel is facing days filled with challenges. 'The Israeli army is engaged on seven fronts, including Hamas in Gaza, and we are working to remove all threats.' The spokesman noted that military operations will continue and expand until our objectives are achieved. 'We cannot live under the shadow of a nuclear Iran. We will fight until our goal is accomplished,' he concluded. ✈️ The IAF continues its mission to maintain aerial superiority in Iranian airspace. Fighter jets struck several Iranian missile systems and radar installations in the areas of Isfahan and Tehran, which were intended to target IDF aircraft and disrupt their operations. This… — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 20, 2025
