US-Led Coalition Concludes Anti-IS Mission in Iraq Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

The US-led coalition, which has been stationed in Iraq for over a decade to combat jihadists, officially concluded its operations on Wednesday, a completion welcomed by Iraqi leaders and US President Donald Trump despite concerns about potential empowerment of pro-Iran militias.

Coalition forces deployed to Iraq and Syria in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group—recognized by its acronyms IS, ISIS, or ISIL—following its territorial seizures, mass atrocities, and forced enslavement of thousands of women and children. Though the group was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, coalition troops remained to target residual fighters.

An agreement between the United States and Iraq in 2024 initiated the mission’s wind-down, leading to the gradual withdrawal of US troops from bases nationwide while maintaining a restricted presence in the northern Kurdistan region.

“This Day is a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS,” President Trump wrote on social media. “I had a choice to stay or to leave, and felt, without question, that it was time for America to go home!”

The coalition’s success was not solely American-led. Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi factions, including pro-Iran groups yet to disarm, played critical roles in the campaign.

The Iraqi government views the withdrawal as a means to strip pro-Iran factions of their justification for retaining weapons. However, many fear the move may embolden these militias, potentially dragging Iraq deeper into regional conflicts.

Following the announcement, supporters of pro-Iran groups gathered in a flag-lined public square, celebrating with speeches on a stage adorned with model drones. A military spokesperson for Kataeb Hezbollah stated that factions were in discussions to “regulate” their weapons but received no response from the Iraqi government, retaining the right to “directly respond to any American or Zionist violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who assumed office this year with US support, declared, “A new phase has begun, defined by Iraq’s sovereignty, the strength of its institutions, and the readiness of its forces.” His government initially set September 30 as a disarmament deadline but later retracted it amid ongoing negotiations.

Senior officials are now seeking compromises as several Iran-backed groups refuse to surrender their arms. These factions have outlined demands, including the withdrawal of all foreign troops and an end to US political and economic interference. Kataeb Hezbollah has framed the coalition’s exit as a step toward sovereignty but has also issued indirect threats against Zaidi’s government, warning that a government failing its people will face “all possible means” of removal.

Pro-Iran factions have previously targeted US forces with drone and missile attacks, provoking retaliatory strikes that killed several faction leaders. During the ongoing Middle East conflict triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Tehran and allied groups have intensified attacks in Iraq, targeting US-led troops in Kurdistan.

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