Arab newspapers: Washington launches retaliatory strikes, Turkey intensifies its movements in Iraq

Arab newspapers published during the past week touched on the escalation between the United States of America and the forces loyal to Iran, in addition to Turkish movements in Iraq and southern Kurdistan, in addition to the tension on the Lebanese borders.

Biden's retaliatory strikes in the Middle East come with political risks

Beginning with the American strikes on pro-Iranian forces in Syria and Iraq, and in this context, Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper indicated that US President Joe Biden is facing a turning point regarding the conflict in the Middle East that entails great risks of escalation and heavy political consequences in the election year with the start of American retaliatory strikes. On Friday, after three American soldiers were killed in a drone attack by an Iranian-backed armed group.

Biden is under pressure from many Republicans to act more forcefully, with some calling on him to launch a direct strike inside Iran.

Experts said the main question is whether the administration is able to calibrate strikes to successfully deter Iran and its proxies without plunging the region into the “broader war” that Biden wants to avoid.

Turkish moves to limit the influence of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Party in Kirkuk

Regarding the Turkish movements in Iraq, Al-Arab newspaper saw that preventing the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Party, which obtained the best result in the local elections in Kirkuk Governorate, from leading the Provincial Council required Turkey to send its intelligence chief to Iraq for the second time in less than a week, which reflected the seriousness of Turkish ambitions. In the governorate, and the amount of concern about the party’s strong return to the Iraqi arena.

Renewed escalation in southern Lebanon

Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, in its turn, touched on the escalation in Lebanon, and indicated that the pace of Israeli bombing escalated in southern Lebanon on Wednesday afternoon, following attacks carried out by Hezbollah, one of which hit a house in the Metulla settlement, and did not result in deaths, according to Israeli media, while the Israeli army said it bombed the party’s military facilities inside Lebanese territory.

The escalation came in the wake of a decline in the frequency of mutual bombardment witnessed in the southern border region on Tuesday, and field sources returned it to stormy weather, before it was renewed with intensity on Wednesday afternoon, as Hezbollah announced the implementation of 5 military operations against Israeli targets.

T/ Satt.

ANHA