Inside Iraq’s Powerful Iran-Backed Militias

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organization comprising roughly 50,000 fighters across ten hardline factions, serves as the primary node for Tehran’s influence in the country. Armed with long-range missiles and drones, these groups have consistently targeted U.S. positions and Israeli interests since the Gaza war began in 2023. At the forefront of this network is Kataib Hezbollah, a group with roughly 10,000 members that maintains direct historical and operational ties to the late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

Beyond the battlefield, figures like Qais al Khazali of Asaib Ahl al Haq represent the evolution of these militias into political actors. Khazali, who spent years in U.S. custody before building a political base that now influences Iraq’s education sector, illustrates the difficulty Baghdad faces in regulating these groups. While the U.S. continues to pressure the Iraqi government to curb paramilitary activity, the militias’ integration into the state apparatus—combined with their substantial electoral reach—makes them nearly impossible to dislodge without risking internal stability. These organizations remain a persistent security challenge, acting as both a proxy for regional power struggles and a permanent fixture of Iraqi governance.