The Take: Why Iraq is the most fragile front in the US-Israel war on Iran
Iraq is under attack from all sides as militias and foreign powers clash.
![A fighter from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) carries a rifle and gestures while standing on rocky terrain, at a training session at a base near Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026. [Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-03-06T173702Z_2004400024_RC29KJAWGJ73_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-KURDS-ISRAEL-1774535560.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
War has spread into Iraq, where strikes by the United States and Israel hit Iran-backed groups, and the militias fire back. Oil has stopped flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, and the state’s grip on power is already fragile. As the war rages on, what will it mean for Iraq?
In this episode:
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- Abdulla Hawez, Researcher
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Tamara Khandaker with Chloe K. Li, Tuleen Barakat and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
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