Iran-backed Iraqi militia says it joins truce with Israel, will reduce attacks on US forces

The Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades – a separate group from the Lebanese Hezbollah – announces it has joined the truce between Hamas and Israel, and that it will halt attacks against Israel until the end of the truce period.

The Hezbollah Brigades, a Shiite paramilitary group directly controlled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), is one of several Iraqi Shiite groups present in southwestern Syria and southern Lebanon that have reportedly been carrying out attacks against Israel after October 7, alongside Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah. The latter has previously announced that it is going to abide by the truce.

In their statement, the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades further announce a “reduction in the pace of escalation” of attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria. A string of at least 73 attacks have been carried out by Iran and Iran-backed paramilitary groups on US and coalition bases in Iraq and Syria since October 17, according to CNN.

The Hezbollah Brigades are accused of being behind the kidnapping of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov in March in Baghdad. A video statement by Tsurkov was released on November 13, in which the researcher, seemingly under duress, demanded an end to the Israeli operation in Gaza and increased pressure for her release.