Amid Iran’s Concerns, How Nasrallah’s Death Exposed Rifts Among Iraqi Militias

The assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by “Israel” has cast a long shadow over the unity of Iraq’s Shiite “Islamic Resistance” militias, which are largely aligned with Iran.

Since October 2023, these militias, most prominently Hezbollah Brigades (Kata'ib Hezbollah) led by Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba under Akram al-Kaabi, have claimed responsibility for periodic attacks on “Israel.”

The ranks also include the Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades (Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada) led by Abu Alaa al-Wala’i and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq under Qais al-Khazali, all sanctioned by the U.S.

Rising Tensions

Nasrallah’s assassination on September 27, 2024, heightened divisions among these militias, where he had once held sway. According to Intelligence Online, Iraqi militia leaders convened multiple meetings in Baghdad throughout October but have only agreed to escalate attacks on “Israel.” 

The outlet reported on October 25 that, in addition to their connections with Iran, these militias are reconsidering their strategy regarding the U.S. and are discussing the necessity of vacating bases in preparation for potential retaliatory strikes.

The Shiite militias, grouped under the name “Islamic Resistance in Iraq,” present themselves as a united front in their assaults on “Israel,” aiming to play an increasingly visible role in the regional conflict. However, internal tensions are fracturing this unity.

In an October 14 statement, the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” claimed a drone attack on Israeli targets, framing it as remote support for their Iranian backer. Intelligence Online noted that despite the daily flurry of statements, often adorned with altered images and military videos, some factions remain uninformed about broader strategic directions amid rapidly shifting regional dynamics.

In late October, “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” emerged as a “useful front” to claim responsibility for attacks on both U.S. and Israeli interests. On January 28, 2024, Iran-backed militias attacked a U.S. military base in Jordan, known as “Tower 22,” killing three American soldiers and wounding 25. In retaliation, the U.S. executed two strikes, one on February 3 in Iraq’s Anbar Province, killing 16 militiamen, and another four days later, killing Hezbollah Brigade commanders Abu Baqir al-Saadi and Arkan al-Alawi.

The “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” umbrella provides cover for Iran’s more aggressive militias, including Hezbollah Brigades, Harakat al-Nujaba, and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, allowing them to conduct attacks without individual accountability.

Power Struggles Behind the Front

Beneath this unified front lies fierce competition for influence. Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq is reportedly pursuing political gains in both Iraq and Iran. The group’s leader, Qais al-Khazali, was invited by Tehran to attend Friday prayers on October 4, where he was honored with a position behind Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei alongside key Iranian figures, such as Brigadier General Mohammad Shirazi, head of Khamenei’s military office.

Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq also aims to secure diplomatic passports to facilitate travel through Western airports. Recently, one of its members, Asaad Turki Suwari, assumed the role of Iraq’s permanent representative to UNESCO in Paris, appointed by Iraq’s Minister of Higher Education Naeem al-Aboudi, a political chief within the group.

Though al-Khazali remains under Tehran’s direction, his relations with leaders of other militias, such as Hezbollah Brigade chiefs Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi and Abu Ali al-Askari, have soured. Unlike al-Khazali, these leaders advocate for independent attacks on Israeli and American interests, regardless of Tehran’s position.

Iran Concerns

Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba is attempting to curb the influence of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq as it seeks greater control over government operations, One News Iraqi channel stated in early March 2024.

Harakat al-Nujaba, concerned about losing ground to its rivals, is resisting a ceasefire with the United States, fearing it would diminish its visibility in the political landscape.

The channel’s report highlighted that tensions between the two factions escalated during a recent meeting in Tehran, where they clashed over their differing approaches to targeting American forces in Iraq.

The agreement between Iranian officials and Harakat al-Nujaba, coordinated with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, was meant to allow for continued attacks on U.S. troops at a lower intensity and without media hype. However, the militia stirred controversy by rejecting directives from Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani.

Given the factions’ lack of discipline and Iran’s growing concerns about the situation spiraling out of control, some members of the Revolutionary Guard Corps have suggested forming a new Iraqi military entity within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) that would be more disciplined and responsive to Tehran's directives.

This follows a Reuters report published on February 18, confirming that Qaani visited Baghdad two weeks earlier, coinciding with a halt in attacks by Iran-aligned factions on U.S. forces, signaling Tehran's intent to avoid a broader conflict.

Esmail Qaani met representatives of several of the armed groups in Baghdad airport on Jan. 29, less than 48 hours after Washington blamed the groups for the killing of three U.S. soldiers at the Tower 22 outpost in Jordan, the sources said.

Qaani reportedly warned the factions that further attacks on American lives could provoke a severe U.S. response. He advised them to step back from the frontline to avoid American strikes against their senior leaders, the destruction of their key infrastructure, or even direct retaliation against Iran.

“While one faction did not initially agree to Qaani's request, most others did. The next day, elite Iran-backed group Kataib Hezbollah announced it was suspending attacks,” as per Reuters.

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Accusations of Betrayal

While Akram al-Kaabi continues to call for jihad against the Israeli Occupation and a march toward al-Aqsa, he intermittently launches attacks on unnamed Shiite groups, accusing them of betrayal and stabbing him in the back.

On October 21, 2024, al-Kaabi appeared in Najaf during a memorial service for the late Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, where he urged Iraqis to “engage in jihad and fight against the Israeli Occupation,” calling on “everyone to make their way to al-Aqsa.”

On February 25, he subtly attacked certain Shiite groups in a post on X, accusing them of treachery and of continuing to stab him in the back. He emphasized that the battle against the United States is ongoing, seeking revenge for the bloodshed in Iraq.

“Our hearts are heavy with pain and sorrow from some of our partners in faith and homeland. While we confront the occupier and shed blood, the stabs in our backs continue.”

“We seek only the pleasure of God Almighty and the fulfillment of our religious duties through our positions and struggles. We have not held any office in successive governments or participated in the political process since 2003,” he added.

Iraqi political analyst Wael al-Rikabi, affiliated with the Shiite Coordination Framework, stated that al-Kaabi's remarks are directed at Shiite groups, not at Sunnis or Kurds, who he believes are responsible for the betrayals. He reflects on his true feelings and stance on what he perceives as actions against Americans.

During a television interview on February 26, al-Rikabi said there is a real influence from the Iraqi government and factions within the Coordination Framework on the resistance groups, granting them [official entities] a chance for political dialogue with the Americans.”

“What al-Kaabi mentioned about the stabs in the back does not refer to a specific leader within the Coordination Framework but implies that the pressure exerted by political actors associated with the framework and supportive of the government in negotiations feels like a betrayal at a time when he believes resistance must continue.”

Al-Rikabi pointed out that “the Shiite leadership within the Coordination Framework is now united in their view that they do not hold animosity toward the United States, as long as it engages with Iraq based on shared interests and removes its military presence, which has been a source of conflict with local factions.”

On February 11, Iraqi journalist Ahmed Mulla Talal revealed during his television program on the Iraqi UTV channel that “sharp disputes and exchanges of harsh words occurred among several factions, specifically between Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Harakat al-Nujaba, and others regarding the continuation of attacks against U.S. forces.”

“The leader of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Qais al-Khazali, rejected the ongoing attacks on U.S. forces and called for their cessation, informing them that we are currently in the process of building a state, and those opposing this are Harakat al-Nujaba and the Hezbollah Brigades,” he said.