A flurry of weekend attacks by Israeli forces hit various targets in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. Syria is attacked so commonly it’s gone virtually without reaction, but Lebanon and Iraq both issued separate statements saying they view what happened as a “declaration of war.”



Lebanese PM Saad Hariri warned of the risk of a dangerous escalation, and called on diplomats to do something to stop things getting worse. Israeli forces on the border are on high alert, though there is no sign of any fighting there so far.



Iraq’s ruling coalition also said they consider the attack a declaration of war on Iraq, adding that they ultimately hold the US fully responsible for the Israeli aggression, despite the US disavowing involvement.



Top Iraqi officials, as well as the leadership of the PMF militias met on Monday related both to Israel’s Sunday attack, and to what have been a spate of Israeli attacks on Iraqi soil over the past several weeks, all targeting militia forces.



Israel has long accused Iraqi militias of being “Iranian forces,” and is keen on starting a proxy war in Iraq. They have done materially the same thing in Syria and in Lebanon.



Iraq’s presidential office issued a statement saying that they consider Iraqi sovereignty and the well-being of Iraqi civilians to be “a red line,” and vowed to take all necessary steps to deter further aggressors.









Author: Jason Ditz Jason Ditz is news editor of Antiwar.com. View all posts by Jason Ditz