Did Iran set up secret Iraqi cells to attack Gulf nations during war? Report reveals...
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Did Iran set up secret Iraqi cells to attack Gulf nations during war? Report reveals...")
This handout picture released by Iraq's Prime Minister's Media Office shows Iraq's new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi giving an address after assuming office in Baghdad on May 16, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Report claims Iran’s IRGC created secret Iraq-based cells that allegedly launched drone attacks on Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE during the conflict in the region.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reportedly established a network of secret cells in Iraq to carry out attacks on Gulf countries hosting US military forces. The move suggests a shift in Tehran’s regional strategy as many of its traditional proxy groups face mounting pressure and declining capabilities. The development comes as the United States and Iran reached a peace deal to end the war in the Middle East and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a Reuters report citing Iraqi sources, the IRGC created three to four small cells, each made up of around 10 elite Iraqi Shi’ite fighters. Operating independently of established militia groups, these units allegedly report directly to the IRGC. The report added that these groups are believed to be behind at least seven drone attacks targeting sites in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that were launched from southern Iraq between April 20 and May 17.
Reportedly, some of the members of these cells were recruited from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organisation of Iran-aligned armed factions. However, the new groups function outside the coalition’s command structure, helping Tehran maintain plausible deniability while reducing pressure on Iraq to dismantle larger militias.
“The newer groups established by the IRGC appear smaller, more ideologically hardened and more tightly controlled, reflecting Iran's need to conserve resources amid economic strain,” retired Iraqi army general Jasim al-Bahadli told Reuters.
While the US-Iran peace deal includes commitments to reduce military escalation, Iranian officials have insisted that Tehran’s support for regional “resistance groups” remains non-negotiable and was not part of the agreement.
US officials have continued to urge Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed militias operating within its borders. Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has also pledged to prevent Iraqi territory from being used to threaten regional security.
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According to Iraqi sources cited by Reuters, the newly formed cells targeted locations including Kuwait's Ali Al Salem Air Base, which hosts US troops. Saudi Arabia and the UAE also reportedly intercepted several drones launched from Iraq.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.
