US must complete troop withdrawal from Iraq by September 30
According to The Jerusalem Post, the United States must complete the withdrawal of its remaining military personnel from Iraq by September 30 under an agreement with the Iraqi government. Kurdish media outlet Rudaw also reported on the possible withdrawal of US air defense systems from Iraqi Kurdistan, including from Erbil.
Withdrawal of troops and air defense systems
According to Rudaw, Iraqi Prime Minister's security adviser Qasim al-Araji said that the phased withdrawal of military personnel and equipment has already begun. According to him, coalition forces will fully leave Iraq on September 30, and the US side has expressed readiness to fulfill the agreement within the set timeframe.
Rudaw reported that the United States has already redeployed eight batteries of Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Jordan, while the United Kingdom has transferred its Rapid Sentry system to Cyprus. At the same time, it remains unclear whether any air defense systems will remain in Erbil. US and British forces had previously protected Erbil airport and adjacent areas with missile defense and counter-drone systems.
Disarmament of groups
In parallel, the United States is pressuring Iraqi authorities to restrict the activities of and disarm Iran-backed armed groups. Al-Araji said that after the coalition's departure, an agreement must be reached on a comprehensive mechanism for transferring all weapons under the control of the state and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He also reported positive progress in negotiations with armed groups.
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According to Rudaw, at least five Iran-backed groups have not agreed to disarm. They include Kataib Hezbollah, Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Harakat al-Nujaba.
Attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan
The Jerusalem Post notes that Iran and groups it backs have carried out more than 1,000 drone and missile strikes on Iraqi Kurdistan since February 2026. The publication also reports strikes on the offices of the prime minister and president of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
According to Rudaw, despite the operation of defense systems during attacks in recent months, at least five US military personnel and contractors have been killed.
