Badr Chief Urges Iraqi Militias to Hold Off Attacks on Saudi Arabia as Deadline Expires

Hadi al-Amiri, leader of Iraq's Badr Organization, the largest faction in the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces, released a video urging allied groups to postpone any response to the July 29 United States and Saudi strikes on PMF positions, telling them to bite the wound for Iraq's higher interests and pursue the rights of the killed and wounded through diplomatic means. The appeal came as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq's one-week deadline for Baghdad to retaliate expired. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi placed all military and security forces on heightened alert. The Security Media Cell said commanders agreed not to let Iraq become a launchpad for threats against any country.