Iraq files formal complaint to UN over Israeli airspace violation

Iraq has submitted a complaint to the United Nations over Israel's use of its airspace to strike Iran on Saturday, an Iraqi government spokesperson said on Monday.

"The Iraqi government reaffirms its steadfast commitment to Iraq’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. It will not allow Iraqi airspace or land to be used for attacks on other nations, particularly neighboring countries with whom Iraq shares mutual respect and interests,” a statement by the Iraqi government said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani directed the Foreign Ministry to engage with the United States on this issue “based on the terms of the bilateral Strategic Framework Agreement and the United States’ commitment to Iraq’s security and sovereignty,” according to Iraqi government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi.

The protest note was submitted to the UN Security Council (UNSC) and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The UNSC will meet on Monday to discuss Israel's attack on Iran.

Iran backed Iraq's decision to submit the complaint, saying: "The Iraqi government must consider itself committed to reacting and protesting the misuse of its territory to the United Nations in order to prevent the repetition of crimes,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said.

The Arab Parliament on Sunday voted unanimously for Iraq to take legal action against Israel during a regular session of the Arab League in Cairo. 

A proposal submitted by the VP of the Arab Parliament and a member of the Iraqi parliament, Ahmad al-Jabouri, calls for the formation of a parliamentary team, and the subsequent submission of a lawsuit against Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

Meanwhile, an Iranian-backed group based in Iraq, Kata'ib Hezbollah, said the US must face consequences for misusing Iraqi airspace. 

Kata'ib Hezbollah has been calling for the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, where it has 2,500 troops. A deal between the the US and the Iraqi government reached last month will see the withdrawal of American forces by the end of 2026.

“The Zionists will not be exempt from this, for after daring to attack Iran, they will certainly dare to attack Iraq, if they do not pay a heavy price for their aggression,” the group said in a statement.

On Monday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) claimed to target northern Israel with a drone overnight, targeting a military site near Kiray Shmona. The group released a video of the attack, however, it has not yet been verified. 

The umbrella movement, consisting of various Iran-backed groups, has launched dozens of attacks targeting Israel and US interests in Iraq and Syria since the start of the Gaza conflict last October. 

It has stepped up its attacks since Israel launched its ground and air attack on Hezbollah earlier this month.