The Hashd Commission and the pro-Iran Resistance gave some numbers on the impact of the Iran War. The Commission said that there had been 83 attacks upon Hashd units since February 28 leading to 73 dead and 61 injured. The Resistance on the other hand claimed it carried out 753 operations and 23 alone on April 3.
Musings On Iraq counted 113 attack upon Hashd units from February 28 to April 2 and 123 killed and 282 wounded so the government is underreporting the amount of violence. This is something it has consistently done since 2003 to try to cover up the costs of conflict upon the nation.
There were three reported incidents by Iran and its allies in Iraq on April 3. Three drones targeted the logistics and diplomatic center at Baghdad Airport. Another one was shot down over Balad Air Base in Salahaddin. That facility houses no international forces so it is a direct attack upon the Iraqi Security Forces.
On the other side two Hashd were killed when a headquarters facility was attacked in Qaim, Anbar. A gravel plant in Rutba, Anbar and a potato warehouse in Sharikhan al-Sufa north of Mosul were hit by airstrikes. These could be businesses run by the Resistance or mistakes. This was the first time these types of targets were hit.
The National Context reported on the financial trouble Iraq is in due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. In March Iraq only earned around $2 billion from oil sales compared to $6.184 billion in February. Oil production went from 4.15 million barrels a day to 1.4 million barrels during that same time. Petroleum accounts for over 90% of the state’s revenue.
At the end of March the Oil Ministry started exporting again but in limited numbers. On March 17 oil began flowing to Turkey again but only at a rate of around 200,000 barrels a day. It wants to increase that to 300,000 barrels soon. Tanker trucks also began arriving in Syria to export Iraqi petroleum and fuel oil through the Mediterranean.
The National Context went over Baghdad’s bills and earnings. Its operational budget which covers government salaries, pensions, welfare and more is around $7.2 billion a month. Again, Iraq only made $2 billion total in March. The government has foreign reserves it can turn to but the Context believed after May it will have to start borrowing. If the state can’t cover its bills especially its public salaries there will be immediate social problems in the form of protests. The Iran War then is posing an existential threat to the most oil dependent country in the world.
SOURCES
The National Context, “Iraq’s Oil Exports Collapsed by 82% in march as SOMO Scrambles to Build Emergency Alternatives,” 4/3/26
Rudaw, “PMF hit over 80 times as Iran-backed armed groups claim over 750 attacks on alleged US targets,” 4/3/26
Shafaq News, “Airstrike targets a gravel plant in Rumba, western Anbar,” 4/3/26
- “Airstrike targets potato warehouse north of Mosul,” 4/3/26
- “Bombing targets Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters west of Anbar, resulting in casualties,” 4/3/26
- “A drone that attempted to target Balad Air Base was shot down,” 4/3/26
Al Sumaria, “A drone targeted the vicinity of Baghdad airport,” 4/3/26
- "Two drones targeted the vicinity of Baghdad airport," 4/3/26
No comments:
Post a Comment