Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) quietly established a network of secret cells inside Iraq to launch drone attacks on Gulf states hosting American forces, according to a Reuters investigation that sheds new light on Tehran’s evolving regional strategy.The covert units, operating outside Iraq’s established Iran-backed militia structure, were created to evade US and allied intelligence monitoring while preserving Iran’s ability to project power across the Middle East. Reuters reported that between April 20 and May 17, the cells carried out at least seven drone attacks from remote desert areas near the southern Iraqi cities of Basra and Samawa, targeting sites in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
A new network beyond traditional militias
According to eight Iraqi sources cited by Reuters, the IRGC established three or four separate cells, each consisting of around 10 highly trained Iraqi Shi’ite fighters. While some members were recruited from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq — an umbrella organisation that includes several hardline Shi’ite factions — the new groups operate independently of its command structure.Instead of passing through local militia chains of command, the cells report directly to Iranian commanders. Iraqi military officials, security sources and militia commanders told Reuters that this arrangement was designed to reduce the risk of infiltration and improve operational secrecy.The move comes as some of Iraq’s most influential Iran-aligned groups have signalled a willingness to surrender weapons and avoid direct confrontation with Washington. Earlier this month, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Imam Ali Brigades announced plans to hand over arms to Iraqi state authorities following repeated US demands that Baghdad rein in armed factions operating on its territory.Retired Iraqi army general Jasim al-Bahadli told Reuters that the newer groups are smaller, more ideologically committed and more closely supervised by Tehran, allowing Iran to maintain influence while conserving resources amid economic and military pressures.
Why Iraq became the launch pad
Iraq has long been a crucial link in Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance”, a network of allied groups stretching from Lebanon and Gaza to Yemen. However, recent regional developments have complicated Tehran’s reliance on traditional proxies.The Reuters report suggests that by launching attacks from isolated Iraqi desert locations, Iran was able to bypass many of the surveillance and intelligence measures focused on larger, better-known militia organisations. The strategy also provided Tehran with a degree of deniability while enabling it to continue exerting pressure on Gulf states that host American military installations.The revelations come as Washington and Tehran attempt to preserve a fragile interim agreement aimed at ending the wider regional conflict. While negotiations are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear programme, Iranian officials have made clear that Tehran’s support for regional “resistance groups” remains off the table.
