Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is requesting permission from the ruling Shiite Coordination Framework to arrest members of Iran-aligned armed groups operating outside state control. The move follows a series of drone strikes on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan region, but the governing coalition has warned that detaining the militia members could lead to a collapse of the government. Local reports indicate the friction is fueled by accusations from groups such as Kataib Hezbollah that al-Zaidi has engaged in deals with the United Arab Emirates.
The strikes on Sunday and Monday hit a gas storage facility in Sulaymaniyah, forcing a production halt at a site that supplies more than 80% of the electricity for the Kurdistan Region. The Kurdistan Electricity Ministry reported that the attack removed nearly 2.8 GW of power from the grid. U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack condemned the strikes as an attack on the Iraqi people. While the prime minister has ordered a joint inquiry into the damage, it is the 12th such committee formed since 2022 to investigate attacks on the facility.
