Arab League foreign ministers expected to deliberate on Israeli attacks in Cairo

Foreign ministers from Arab League member-states will gather in Cairo today to discuss recent Israeli strikes in Arab states.

Since July 19, Israel has used armed drones to strike assets of the Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary group, the Popular Mobilisation Forces, at least five times. Israel’s government claims the attacks targeted Iranian-controlled weapons caches in Iraq, including precision-guided missiles that would be capable of striking Israeli territory.

Iran has begun moving its weapons systems eastward from Syria into Iraq. Being away from domestic borders, Iraq is not an immediate focus for Israel’s defence forces.

However, US forces in Iraq complicates matters for Israel. Tel Aviv’s strongest ally could face retribution attacks on operating bases throughout the country in response to Israeli strikes, meaning Israel must tread carefully.

Similar Israeli attacks against pro-Iranian actors in other Arab League states—notably, Hezbollah in Lebanon since September 1—present deeper complications for the League. Thus, while the members may incline towards boycotting Israel in the medium term, the move will likely be a paper tiger.

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