Iran's Revolutionary Guards set up covert Iraqi cells to attack Gulf neighbors, sources say

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has created covert cells within Iraq to launch attacks against Gulf countries hosting American forces, according to eight Iraqi sources. This new strategy bypasses established militia networks, allowing the IRGC to operate with greater stealth and avoid detection.

These newly formed groups, reportedly numbering three to four cells with approximately 10 elite Iraqi Shi'ite fighters each, have carried out at least seven drone attacks between April 20 and May 17. The strikes targeted sites in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, launched from desert areas near the southern Iraqi cities of Basra and Samawa. While some members are drawn from the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" coalition, these new units report directly to the IRGC, operating outside the coalition's command structure.

The establishment of these clandestine Iraqi cells reflects a strategic shift by the IRGC. Sources suggest this move is intended to preserve Iran's capacity for regional power projection at a time when its armed proxy groups are weakened and its own military and economic resources are strained. Iraq, with its significant Shi'ite population and numerous Iran-aligned militias, has been a key component of Iran's regional "Axis of Resistance."

This development comes as several powerful Shi'ite factions in Iraq have signaled a willingness to disarm and focus on domestic politics, partly to de-escalate tensions with the U.S. administration. This potential reduction in Iran's traditional proxy network may have prompted the IRGC to establish groups under its direct control. Experts describe these newer IRGC-backed groups as smaller, more ideologically committed, and tightly controlled, aligning with Iran's need to conserve resources amidst economic pressures.

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The newer groups established by the IRGC appear smaller, more ideologically hardened and more tightly controlled, reflecting Iran's need to conserve resources amid economic strain.