Iraq

Quds Force commander Ismail Qaani has wrapped his Baghdad visit, meeting Iraq's leadership and pro-Iranian militia reps, per Al-Hadath.

He told the militias to hold onto their weapons and pressed Baghdad to "use the card of the militias" as leverage against Washington. Qaani also criticized fighters who agreed to disarm, calling their arsenals Iranian weapons, not Iraqi.

Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi has set a September 30 deadline for Iran-aligned militias to disarm, threatening military confrontation if they refuse. Two Iraqi political sources told AFP he is prepared to "clash" with any faction that resists past the deadline.

Bloomberg: UAE's ADNOC has proposed that Iraq keep exporting oil through the Strait of Hormuz using so-called "dark transit."

Small tankers would carry Iraqi crude through the strait with tracking off at times, then transfer the cargo to other tankers outside the Gulf bound for Asian markets.

Quds Force commander Ismail Kaani asked Iraqi factions to stall the disarmament of the militias during his recent visit, Saudi channel Al-Hadath reports. Kaani reportedly called disarming the Iraqi militias "a knife in the back of Iran," warning it would open the door to disarming other pro-Iranian militias across the region.

A rocket attack struck an Iranian Kurdish opposition camp northeast of Erbil, Iraq. Security sources report no casualties.

Iraqi security forces say they dismantled a 3 member cell in Wasit province, Iraq and confiscated 12 Iranian made drones along with drone components during the operation.

Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi met with Saudi intelligence chief Khaled al-Hamidan and agreed to continue military and intelligence coordination between the two countries. Al-Hamidan extended an official invitation for al-Zaidi to visit Riyadh.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has postponed a planned response against the U.S. and Saudi Arabia at the request of political leaders.

Badr Organisation leader Hadi Al Ameri: "I direct my call to my sons and brothers in the Islamic resistance in Iraq ... to postpone any reaction to the American-Saudi aggression and to bite the wound for the greater good of Iraq."

Hadi al-Amari, secretary general of the Badr Organization, is calling on Iraqi Shia militias to suspend their response to the Saudi-American strikes for the sake of Iraq's interest.

The U.S. has withdrawn air defense systems from the Kurdish region of Iraq, against the backdrop of talks with Iran.

A senior Kurdish official to Kan News: "We asked to hold off given the Iranian strikes, but our request fell on deaf ears."

Erdogan is working to reshape the Kurdish arena across Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. His party this week put forward a bill to dismantle the Kurdish underground in return for partial amnesty for some of its members.

@kaisos1987

Syria's army has declared a military alert, no reason given, sources tell Al Arabiya. Pro-Iranian media report a major mobilization near the Iraq border.

Tankers carrying Iraqi crude have transited the Strait of Hormuz, Iraq's Oil Ministry told state media.

Iran's General Rezaei:

Saudi official contacted one of the officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and stated that they were not involved in the attack on Iraq

The U.S. refueling aircraft damaged in a midair collision over Iraq during Operation "Lion's Roar" flew back to the United States this morning from Ben Gurion Airport, four and a half months after the crash.

The KC-135 Stratotanker lost part of its tail and made an emergency landing at Ben Gurion. A second tanker crashed in Iraq on March 13, killing all six American crew, as the aircraft were refueling fighter jets that had struck Iran. - Kan News

OPEC: Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman will cut output by 188,000 barrels per day, confirming their commitment to market stability.

Hezbollah in Iraq showing off their camouflaged black uniform in the desert.

These guys become invisible.

Iraqi PM: "We will never allow Iraqi soil to be used to threaten neighboring countries."

Syria warned Iraq that any attack from its territory will draw retaliation. Suspected militia activity near the border was also flagged directly to Iraqi officials, per Al Arabiya.

Reports of explosions in Erbil, Iraq.

Two senior IRGC officials to the New York Times: During the ceasefire, Quds Force commanders held online conference calls with the leaders of Hezbollah, the Houthis, and pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, while commanders and advisers operated on the ground alongside the militias.

To fill the void in Hezbollah's ranks, Iran placed IRGC commanders as direct members of the group's leadership council and now holds greater control over its operations.

IRAQ: Brigade 79 of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF/Hashd al Shaabi) has deployed and is securing the Yusufiyah area along the Baghdad to Karbala highway in preparation for the Arbaeen pilgrimage.

Cute video.