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The Resurgence of Hezbollah When Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November 2024, the popular perception was that the pro-Iranian Lebanese group was a spent force. However, Hezbollah has now reemerged as a strong fighting force in southern Lebanon, engaging in intense battles with Israel. Hezbollah's Capabilities and Strategy Analysts told Al Jazeera that Hezbollah's fortunes seem to have turned, but its future is still unclear and likely tied to negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The group has retained considerable capabilities, reorganized its ranks, and continues to receive significant support from Iran. The Impact of Negotiations on Hezbollah's Future The future of Hezbollah is likely to be determined by the outcome of negotiations between the US and Iran, as well as between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah has refused to abide by the results of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, and its leader, Naim Qassem, has expressed opposition to these talks. The Role of Iranian Support Hezbollah draws the vast majority of its support from Lebanon's Shia Muslim community and is largely unpopular among other groups. The group is still heavily reliant on Iran for its financial backing, and Tehran seems unlikely to capitulate militarily or in negotiations. The Uncertain Future Analysts said they think Iran's distrust of the US and Israel means it is unlikely to abandon its Lebanese ally. While descriptions of Hezbollah as a proxy are inaccurate, the two parties share many mutual interests and coordinate in turn. The outcome of various negotiations will heavily influence Hezbollah's future, both politically and militarily.

Political Vacuum in Iraq: Five Months Without a Government More than five months after parliamentary elections, Iraq's Coordination Framework - the largest parliamentary bloc of Shia parties - has failed to choose its prime ministerial candidate amid intense internal power struggles. The country faces a constitutional deadline of April 26 to form a government while balancing delicate diplomatic ties between the United States and Iran, both of whom exert significant influence over Iraqi politics. The Power Struggle Within Iraq's Shia Bloc The Coordination Framework, which commands approximately 185 of 329 seats in parliament, is locked in a battle between incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who seeks a second term, and the bloc led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki - a pro-Iran figure whose candidacy is opposed by the United States. The Framework's general secretariat has called a meeting with a single agenda item: selecting the prime ministerial candidate, as previous meetings were postponed due to disagreements among leaders. The Iranian and American Mediation Efforts Iran's Quds Force head, Ismail Qaani, made an unannounced visit to Baghdad aimed at breaking the leadership deadlock. The visit came at the request of caretaker Prime Minister al-Sudani to convince the Shia Coordination Framework not to nominate Bassem al-Badri, who is aligned with Maliki. Meanwhile, the US has explicitly opposed al-Maliki's candidacy, with President Trump threatening to halt support for Iraq if he's elected, citing concerns about Iran's influence through his leadership. Economic Pressures and Constitutional Deadlines Iraq faces mounting economic challenges with customs tariffs reaching as high as 30% on some goods, a reinstated 20% sales tax on mobile phone recharge cards, and over 90 trillion dinars ($69 billion) in debt. The country's state budget remains dependent on oil for roughly 90% of revenues, all while being without a fully functioning government for over five months. Adding to the pressure, a US presidential executive order protecting Iraqi oil revenues at the Federal Reserve Bank is set to expire in May, potentially exposing those assets to creditors. Regional Power Dynamics and Iraqi Sovereignty The political crisis in Iraq reflects the broader regional power struggle between the United States and Iran. Pro-Iranian armed groups have carried out attacks on US assets in solidarity with Tehran during the US-Israel war on Iran, while the US has designated seven militia commanders from Iran-aligned factions. This delicate balancing act has exposed Iraq's vulnerability to external influences and raised questions about the country's sovereignty as political actors appear to be waiting for the outcome of regional conflicts to determine the next government. Sectarian Divisions and Power-Sharing System The political appointments highlight Iraq's persistent sectarian and ethnic divisions under the power-sharing system (Muhasasa) established after the 2003 US-led invasion. With the presidency now filled by Kurdish politician Nizar Amedi, the speakership reserved for Sunni Arabs, and the prime minister position designated for Shia Arabs, the formation of a government remains critical to maintaining this delicate balance. The prolonged vacuum risks exacerbating existing tensions and potentially destabilizing the country's fragile democratic institutions. Path Forward: Weak Prime Minister or Strong Leadership? As the April 26 deadline approaches, the Coordination Framework appears to be leaning toward selecting a weaker prime minister candidate like Bassem al-Badri who would not challenge the bloc's authority, rather than stronger figures like al-Sudani or al-Maliki. However, the final outcome may depend on the results of negotiations between Iran and the United States regarding the regional conflict. Regardless of who is chosen, the next Iraqi government will face the monumental task of addressing economic crises, rebuilding international relations, and asserting greater independence from external influences while navigating the complex regional power dynamics.

Iran has strongly condemned YouTube's decision to ban a pro-Iranian group, Explosive Media, which creates Lego-style artificial intelligence videos. The group was suspended for allegedly posting 'violent content', specifically a video mocking US President Donald Trump and declaring 'Iran won' after a recent ceasefire agreement. The ban has sparked outrage from Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accusing YouTube of trying to suppress the truth about the US-Israel war on Iran. Baghaei questioned the ban, highlighting that YouTube hosts content from major animation studios like Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, and The Walt Disney Company. Explosive Media's videos often use US popular culture to portray Trump as isolated and prone to childish tantrums. One video depicted Trump with an oversized yellow head and a flaming backside, holding a sign that read: 'VICTORY! I am a loser'. The group describes itself as independent but is widely suspected of having ties to the Iranian government. The ban has been seen as an attempt to shield the American administration's false narrative from competing voices. Iran's Foreign Ministry has expressed concern that such actions could limit the free flow of information and perspectives on the ongoing conflict.

Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the 'continued malicious drone attacks' launched from Iraq towards Bahrain and several Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The summoning of the Iraqi envoy follows similar action by Saudi Arabia, signalling growing regional concern over pro-Iranian groups based in Iraq. The diplomatic move complicates Baghdad's efforts to rebuild ties with its Arab neighbours. Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered an official protest note to the Iraqi charge d'affaires, Ahmed Ismail al-Karawi, calling on Baghdad to address 'these threats and attacks urgently and responsibly'. Iraq has become a staging ground for a secondary conflict during the US-Israel war on Iran, with drones and missiles launched by Iran-aligned armed groups repeatedly targeting Gulf states and Jordan. US interests in Iraq, particularly the embassy in Baghdad, have also been targeted. Despite a two-week Iran-US ceasefire, several Gulf nations reported missile and drone attacks on their territories just hours after the ceasefire was announced. Iran-aligned groups in Iraq had announced their commitment to the ceasefire and suspended their actions towards Gulf countries. The attacks are severely testing Iraq's painstakingly rebuilt ties with its Arab neighbours. Baghdad has categorically rejected the use of its territory to target Gulf states or Jordan, adding that it is taking necessary measures 'in accordance with the constitution and the law'.

Iraq is facing a balancing act as the US-Israeli war on Iran exposes deep divisions within the country. The conflict has highlighted the divisions between those who view the attacks on Iran as a means to end Tehran's longstanding influence over Iraqi politics and those who are loyal to the Islamic republic. The war has struck Iraq during a precarious power vacuum, following the stepping aside of caretaker leader Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, whose coalition won the largest share of seats in November's parliamentary elections. This power vacuum has exacerbated tensions, with factions from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella body of Iran-backed armed groups, vowing to drag the US into a long war of attrition. The group has claimed responsibility for numerous drone and missile attacks on targets in Iraq and neighboring countries, including the US base in Erbil and the city's international airport. In response, unclaimed airstrikes attributed to US and Israeli forces have hit positions across the country, killing several commanders and fighters. Iraqi leaders are attempting to maintain a balancing act, denouncing the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei while rejecting attempts by Tehran to draw Iraq into the conflict. However, this balancing act is complicated by the fact that pro-Iran groups are also members of the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU), a sprawling institution that operates with its own agenda. The conflict has significant implications for Iraq's stability and economy, with a looming financial disaster hanging over the country due to the crisis over the strait of Hormuz and the loss of oil revenue. The US pressure and threat of sanctions have forced some members of the pro-Iran Shia alliance in Iraq's parliament to distance themselves from more militant factions. The killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has also had a profound impact on the Iraqi resistance factions, which have struggled to respond effectively to the recent war. The insider close to the pro-Iran factions noted that the killing of Nasrallah has affected the Iraqi resistance factions more than the killing of Khamenei, as Nasrallah had a direct appeal to many commanders.

Recent air strikes on Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) have resulted in the deaths of three PMF fighters and two Iraqi police officers. The attacks, which occurred near northern Iraq's Kirkuk Airport, also left two fighters wounded and six Iraqi soldiers injured.An Iraqi security source revealed that the double-bombing was part of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which has been spilling over into Iraq's eastern border. The PMF, a coalition now integrated into the regular Iraqi army, accused the US and Israel of a 'treacherous Zionist-American' attack.In a separate incident, Reuters reported that two members of the Iraqi police were killed in an air strike targeting the PMF in Mosul, approximately 105 miles northwest of Kirkuk. This development has contributed to the escalating tensions in the region.Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque reported from Baghdad that Iraq is becoming an 'expanding battleground' in the crisis. The conflict began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran and now threatens to engulf the region in a protracted conflict.The PMF, formed in 2014 to fight ISIL (ISIS), has been targeted by pro-Iran armed groups within the coalition. These groups have claimed responsibility for attacks on US interests in Iraq and beyond.Haque noted that the PMF takes its orders from Baghdad, but some factions are loyal to Tehran. This complex dynamic makes it challenging for Baghdad to manage the different factions effectively.Iraq finds itself 'on a tightrope' between the US and Iran, said Haque, due to its economic and security ties with both countries. The government must balance its relationships with its biggest neighbor, Iran, and the United States.In related incidents, two drones targeted an airbase serving as a hub for US and coalition forces near Erbil airport in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The US C-RAM air defence system successfully intercepted the drones.French President Emmanuel Macron described the increased attacks in Iraq as a 'worrying development' after speaking to Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdish region.

A deadly air attack has struck the pro-Iran Popular Mobilisation Forces in Iraq, as reported by Al Jazeera. The incident occurred on March 24, 2026, at 10:46:46 UTC. Details about the attack, including casualties and the perpetrator, are still under verification.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has taken a significant turn as foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim countries gathered in Riyadh for urgent discussions. The meeting, which included representatives from 12 countries, aimed to muster a common response to Iran's increasing retaliation against US assets and infrastructure in the region.The talks were held as Iran targeted several energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar in retaliation against Israel's strike on the South Pars gasfield, Iran's biggest source of energy. This escalation comes after a series of Israeli assassinations of top Iranian security officials.The joint statement issued on Thursday confirmed that the countries present at the meeting, including Qatar, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates, asserted the right of states to defend themselves, citing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter on defensive action.The foreign ministers condemned deliberate Iranian attacks with ballistic missiles and drones that have struck various targets, including residential areas, water desalination plants, oil facilities, airports, and diplomatic positions. They called on Iran to:Halt its attacks.Stop "provocative actions or threats" aimed at its neighbours.Cease supporting, financing, and arming pro-Iran proxy groups based in Arab states.Refrain from actions or threats aimed at blocking the Strait of Hormuz or threatening maritime security in the Bab al-Mandeb strait.The meeting yielded a unified response to Iran's increasingly unpredictable behaviour, but the joint statement was vague about how countries would follow this up. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud emphasized his country's right to defend itself and hinted that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states would act if necessary, adding that they have "very significant capacities and capabilities that they could bring to bear should they choose to do so".The Iranian leadership's response to these developments remains unclear, with New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei having not been seen in public since his appointment. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement saying that Iranian forces had responded to the "deceiving and lying enemy" that had targeted energy facilities in the country, and that they had "entered a new phase of warfare" to defend Iran's infrastructure.

The conflict in the region has intensified, with Iraq becoming a two-way battlefield between armed factions and the United States during its war with Iran. The US carried out strikes against the Shia paramilitary umbrella group, also known locally as Hashed al-Shaabi, late on Sunday after attacks on a US diplomatic and logistics centre at Baghdad International Airport.The attack was carried out after Iraqi security officials said four explosions were heard near Camp Victory, a US logistics centre at the capital’s main airport. No casualties were reported as the positions were deserted.The PMF is part of Iraq’s regular armed forces and includes some pro-Iranian groups. Pro-Iran armed groups have claimed responsibility for attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region while strikes have also targeted these groups.Economic worries also are weighing heavily after Iraq’s Ministry of Oil last week announced a case of force majeure on all oilfields developed by foreign oil companies, citing disruptions to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which have halted most of the country’s crude exports.“Iraq relies on that revenue,” said Nicolas Haque, a reporter from Iraq’s capital. “That’s 90 percent of its revenues, so that’s going to have an impact on people.”US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to attack Iran’s power plants if freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz was not fully restored in 48 hours. On Monday, hours before his deadline was to expire, Trump ⁠ordered the US ⁠military to postpone ⁠strikes ⁠against the power plants for five days.