Iraq

Iran is working to finalize a joint statement with Oman on managing commercial ship transit through the Strait of Hormuz, detailing routes and the temporary absence of fees or tolls. Separately, Jared Kushner met with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israeli leader rejected a U.S.-backed road map concerning Gaza, while Hamas continues to urge mediation for compliance.

The UAE blamed Iran for drone attacks on two ADNOC tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, labeling the acts as piracy that threatens global energy security. Separately, activists brought food and water to Palestinians besieged by Israeli settlers in Qusra, West Bank. Furthermore, a drone was intercepted over Irbil in Iraq's northern Kurdish region.

Turkey’s parliament was set to debate a draft bill introducing conditional amnesty for thousands of PKK members as part of the government's peace initiative. The legislation would suspend some prison sentences and postpone ongoing investigations and trials, provided that National Security Council confirms the group has disbanded. The provisions exclude militants convicted of intentional killings or those sentenced to life terms before 2005.

Yemen’s military attacked Houthi rebels amid warnings from the United Nations regarding renewed large-scale conflict risk. Concurrently, a Turkish draft law aimed at advancing peace with Kurdish militants passed its first parliamentary hurdle, including mechanisms for former fighters and conditional pardon-like procedures. These developments highlight varying degrees of political and military instability across the Middle East.

Foreign ministers from Arab countries met in Amman with Jordan’s King Abdullah II to discuss developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, focusing on Israeli policies in occupied East Jerusalem. The Arab Ministerial Committee, including participants from Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Pakistan, and Iraq, aimed to coordinate international action against these policies.

Jeanine John Taele, a U.S. Marine corporal with combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, faces federal firearms charges after allegedly scouting security at Trump National Golf Club ahead of President Trump's Southern California visit.

The US has lifted sanctions on an Iraqi airline previously sanctioned for providing assistance to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.

Saudi Aramco's adjusted net income rose 33% to $33.4 billion in Q2 2024, driven by the US-Israeli war on Iran that inflated energy prices and its pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict led to higher Brent prices above $100 per barrel and disrupted shipments in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.

Saudi Aramco reported a 33% surge in profits for Q2 2026, driven by elevated energy prices due to the US-Israeli war on Iran and its ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz via the East-West Pipeline. The pipeline enabled Saudi Arabia to maintain two-thirds of its pre-war oil exports while other Gulf states reduced shipments. The conflict has spurred regional efforts to develop alternative infrastructure to avoid Hormuz.

Millions of Shiite Muslims participated in the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Karbala, Iraq, amid regional tensions and fears of US-Iran escalation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attended, highlighting Iraq's balancing act between Washington and Tehran, while economic struggles and militia disarming efforts complicate the country's stability.

Iraq exported less than a third of its pre-war oil levels through the Strait of Hormuz in July, according to maritime tracking firm Kpler. Pre-war exports averaged 105 million barrels per month, but only around 30 million barrels were recorded between 4 July and 4 August.

Syria and Iraq have resumed direct flights to Russia. Syrian Airlines flights to Moscow mark the first direct air travel between these countries since the fall of the Assad regime.

US and Saudi Arabia conducted joint airstrikes on Iran-linked militias in Iraq, killing at least 20 members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) and four Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps advisers. The strikes, targeting drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, have heightened tensions in Iraq's efforts to balance relations with Riyadh and Tehran while managing internal security.

Millions of Shiite Muslims participated in the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Iraq amid regional tensions and fears of U.S.-Iran escalation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi joined the pilgrimage, highlighting Iraq's delicate balancing act between Washington and Tehran. Economic challenges, including disrupted oil exports due to the Strait of Hormuz closure, and efforts to disarm Iran-backed militias like Kataib Hezbollah further complicate the situation.

Millions of Shiite Muslims gathered in Karbala, Iraq, for the Arbaeen pilgrimage amid regional tensions and fears of U.S.-Iran escalation. Over 4.88 million pilgrims entered Iraq since the start of the Islamic month of Muharram, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi among notable participants. Reduced numbers of pilgrims from non-Iranian countries were observed due to regional conflicts.

Millions of Shiite Muslims participated in the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Karbala, Iraq, amid regional tensions and fears of U.S.-Iran escalation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi joined the event, highlighting Iraq's delicate position between Washington and Tehran. Reduced numbers of non-Iranian pilgrims were noted due to regional conflicts, while Iraq faces economic strain from disrupted oil exports and challenges disarming Iran-backed militias.

Millions of Shiite Muslims are participating in the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage in Karbala, Iraq, despite regional tensions and fears of escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Millions of Shiite Muslims participated in the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Karbala, Iraq, amid regional tensions and fears of U.S.-Iran escalation. Iraqi authorities reported over 4.88 million pilgrims entering the country, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi among notable attendees. Iraq faces economic challenges from disrupted oil exports and struggles to disarm Iran-backed militias.

A fire broke out in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq’s Kurdish region, following a drone attack on the Peshmerga’s 70th Brigade headquarters. The drone was intercepted, but the wreckage of an interceptor target caused a fire near the headquarters.

Iraq and Turkey signed a 1-year oil pipeline deal to increase exports through Turkey's Ceyhan port, aiming to diversify Iraq's export routes amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The agreement includes a minimum daily export volume of 750,000 barrels of Iraqi crude via the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline.

Iraq and Turkey have signed a one-year agreement to transport Iraqi crude oil via a pipeline to Turkey's Ceyhan port. The deal aims to boost Iraqi oil exports amid ongoing Hormuz closures.

Iraq and Turkey signed a 1-year oil pipeline agreement to increase exports via Turkey's Ceyhan port, aiming to diversify Iraq's oil routes amid Hormuz shipping disruptions. The deal commits to a minimum of 750,000 barrels of Iraqi crude per day through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, which had been largely idle since 2023 but resumed limited exports last year.

US embassies in multiple Middle Eastern countries warned American citizens of potential conflict escalation and urged them to prepare to leave, following President Donald Trump's threat against Iran. The US and Iran have been in conflict since February 28.

Turkiye and Iraq signed a one-year oil pipeline deal to ensure 750,000 barrels of crude oil flow daily through the Iraq-Turkiye pipeline, as confirmed by officials.

US embassies in multiple Middle Eastern countries warned American citizens to prepare to depart due to potential regional conflict escalation. The alerts followed US President Donald Trump's threat to strike Iran 'very hard'.

Iranian pilgrims entered Iraq for the Arbaeen ceremonies, with some expressing anti-US sentiments by stamping a portrait of US President Donald Trump. The event occurs amid regional tensions and fresh strikes involving Iraq.

Kurdish groups in Iraq, including the Komala party and Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), are being attacked amid heightened US-Iran tensions. Iranian forces or aligned entities are suspected of targeting these groups in northern Iraq, while Iranian officials accuse the US and Israel of planning to use Kurdish factions to destabilize Iran. The Kurdish groups deny involvement in anti-government operations.

Iranian Kurdish groups in Iraq have been heavily attacked in the war, but most deny US assistance.

A War Powers Resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate with a 49-50 vote. Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—supported the measure, while the majority of Republicans and Democratic senator John Fetterman opposed it. Recent U.S. and Saudi strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq followed Iranian drone attacks, causing oil prices to rise and gasoline costs to increase.

Chevron reported a record $12.1 billion quarterly profit, while ExxonMobil and Shell achieved their highest earnings since 2022 due to global oil supply disruptions from the Iran war. Companies are benefiting from high crude prices, record refining margins, and reduced competition from China's oil exports, with Chevron planning increased investments in Iraq despite Middle East instability.

Iraq has ordered enhanced air defences and intelligence activities following US-Saudi strikes on Hashed al-Shaabi bases. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi directed maximum readiness at military and Hashed al-Shaabi bases, with a focus on modernizing radar and air defence systems.

Saudi Arabia joined the United States in launching air strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq for the first time, signaling a significant shift in its regional strategy. The kingdom claims the action was in self-defense, but the move raises questions about its evolving stance toward Iran.

The US is nearing full withdrawal from Iraq as bases in the Kurdistan Region face attacks from Iran and its proxies. Patriot air-defense systems, which detect and shoot down incoming missiles and drones, have already been removed according to sources cited by Al-Monitor.

A War Powers Resolution to limit President Trump's military conflict in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate with a 49-50 vote, as three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—supported the measure. The House had previously passed the resolution, but it did not gain Senate approval. Recent U.S. and Saudi airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq followed Iranian drone attacks, leading to higher oil prices and increased U.S. gasoline costs.

Drone strikes were reported in Iraq's Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, targeting arm warehouses and headquarters of 'separatist groups' according to unverified reports.

Three Republican senators supported a War Powers Resolution to block President Trump’s war with Iran, but the measure failed 49-50 in the Senate. Recent U.S. and Saudi strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq followed Iranian drone attacks, raising oil prices and gasoline costs. Four U.S. service members were killed in Iranian strikes, with the Pentagon not classifying the latest casualties as part of the Iran war.

The US-Iran conflict has expanded to Iraq, Egypt, and other regions, with drone attacks and military strikes causing casualties and escalating tensions. Saudi Arabia and the US targeted Iraqi sites in response to pro-Iran militia attacks, while the US struck Iran's Qeshm island, and Iran attacked Jordan and Kuwait. The involvement of multiple actors increases the risk of miscalculation and regional war.

Pakistan endorsed Saudi Arabia's air strikes in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defence under the UN Charter and reaffirmed its defense commitments to Gulf partners. The country emphasized that its defense agreements with Saudi Arabia and others do not undermine its role as a mediator in the Iran-US conflict, while condemning attacks by non-state actors against Saudi Arabia.

The Iraqi government stated it did not approve or have prior knowledge of US-Saudi airstrikes targeting Iran-backed groups in Iraq. The strikes, conducted by Saudi Arabia and US Central Command, aimed to address drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

A War Powers Resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate with a 49-50 vote. Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—supported the measure, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman voted against it. Recent U.S. and Saudi strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq followed Iranian drone attacks, raising oil prices and gasoline costs.