Iraq reportedly deploys four brigades to Basra to prevent militia attacks on Kuwait

Iraq reportedly deployed four army brigades, around 4,000 to 6,000 troops, to Basra province on October 31 to prevent Iran-backed militias from attacking Kuwait in the event of a US strike on Iran, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports, citing unnamed sources. ISW notes that it has not seen other reports of a deployment of that size.

The militias, according to ISW, are almost certainly prepared to respond to any US attack. Harakat Ansar Allah al Awfiya publicly threatened on October 30 to retaliate if the US uses Iraqi territory or airspace against Iran, and on October 27 militias used drones to surveil the US embassy in Baghdad.

A deadline for disarmament

US Ambassador Steven Fagin reportedly told Iraqi officials that the US will impose sanctions on Iraq if the militias are not disarmed by June 30, 2027. Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi had sought an extension of the original September 30 deadline. Many of the most active militias continue to refuse to disarm.

After the strike on Saudi Arabia’s East–West pipeline on September 10, Baghdad temporarily closed border crossings with Iran and ordered the closure of Houthi offices in Iraq, but ISW doubts that these measures have stopped weapons smuggling. According to the same source, three or four IRGC-commanded cells carried out at least seven drone attacks on Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE between April 20 and May 17.