The dust hasn't even settled yet.
On Saturday, January 17, 2026, the Iraqi army officially moved into the Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq, taking full control after the last U.S. troops packed up and left. It’s a massive moment. For years, this base was the nerve center for coalition operations against ISIS, and honestly, seeing the Iraqi flag fly there alone feels like the end of an era.
Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah was on-site today to oversee the transition. He wasn’t just there for a photo op; he was handing out marching orders to Iraqi units to start securing the perimeter. This wasn't some sudden "cut and run" move. It’s part of a deal cooked up back in 2024 to wind down the coalition presence. But let’s be real—the timing is incredibly tense.
Iraq Latest News Today: A Country on the Edge
While the military is celebrating at Ain al-Asad, the rest of the country is kinda stressed out. We are two weeks into 2026 and Iraq is effectively stuck in a political traffic jam.
There’s no fully functional government. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is trying to hang on for a second term, but Nouri al-Maliki—yeah, the former PM who’s been around forever—is making a serious play to return to power. Just a few days ago, Sudani "tactically" withdrew from the race within his own coalition, basically daring Maliki to try and find enough friends in parliament to actually govern. It’s a high-stakes game of chicken that has left the country’s budget in limbo.
🔗 Read more: Joseph Stalin Political Party: What Most People Get Wrong
Speaking of money, people are starting to get angry.
Around eight million public sector workers and pensioners are still waiting on their December paychecks. The Ministry of Finance says the money is there, but without a solid government sitting in Baghdad, the bureaucracy is grinding to a halt. In a country where the government is the main employer, a late paycheck isn't just an inconvenience. It’s a crisis.
The Basra Factor and the Strait of Hormuz
Down south, Basra is getting restless again. You’ve probably heard this one before, but this time it feels different. Local activists are officially collecting signatures to turn Basra into an autonomous federal region, sort of like Kurdistan. They produce 80% of Iraq's oil but live with some of the worst water and power shortages in the Middle East. They’re tired of sending their oil wealth to Baghdad and getting nothing back but smog.
But there’s a bigger ghost haunting the oil markets today: Iran.
💡 You might also like: Typhoon Tip and the Largest Hurricane on Record: Why Size Actually Matters
With huge protests rocking Tehran and the U.S. making some very loud noises about military intervention, Baghdad is terrified that the Strait of Hormuz might get shut down. If that happens, Iraq is basically trapped. Our officials have been frantically talking to Oman about expanding the Basra-Oman pipeline. It’s a "break glass in case of emergency" plan to make sure Iraqi oil can still reach the world even if the Gulf becomes a war zone.
What’s Actually Happening with Security?
It’s not just about the U.S. leaving. Iraq is also trying to beef up its own hardware. We just dropped nearly $3 billion on a new air defense system from South Korea.
Why? Because the neighborhood is getting rowdy.
Just this week, Kataib Hezbollah and other militias in the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) basically told the world that if the U.S. strikes Iran, they’re going to hit back from inside Iraq. Thousands of militiamen have reportedly been crossing the Shalamcheh border into Iran under the guise of being "pilgrims" to support the IRGC. It’s a mess. Baghdad is trying to stay neutral, but when you have 3,000 guys in buses heading over the border to join a fight, "neutral" is a hard sell.
📖 Related: Melissa Calhoun Satellite High Teacher Dismissal: What Really Happened
Why You Should Care About the 2026 Outlook
Honestly, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are two things people are actually excited about.
First, the Grand Faw Port is finally supposed to start operating later this year. This is a massive infrastructure project that could actually give Iraq a non-oil economy by making it a major trade hub between Asia and Europe.
Second—and probably most important to the guy on the street—the national football team is on fire. Iraq is just one step away from qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. After beating the UAE in Basra, the "Lions of Mesopotamia" are heading to the playoffs in March. In a country that’s been through so much, football is the one thing everyone can actually agree on.
Navigating the Next Few Months
If you're following Iraq latest news today, keep your eyes on these specific triggers:
- The Salary Release: If those December and January wages don't hit bank accounts soon, expect protests in Tahrir Square.
- The Maliki-Sudani Showdown: Watch if the Coordination Framework can actually pick a leader or if the stalemate lasts into the spring.
- The Syria Border: With the U.S. envoy meeting Kurdish leaders in Erbil today, the stability of the border near the al-Hol camp is critical.
The best way to stay informed is to look past the official government statements. The real story in Iraq is usually found in the friction between the oil prices, the militia movements, and the sheer resilience of people just trying to get paid and watch a football match.
Actionable Insights for Following Iraq:
- Monitor the Brent Crude price; if it stays below $60, Iraq's 2026 budget will collapse.
- Follow local reports from Basra regarding the federalism petition, as this could redefine Iraq's internal borders.
- Keep an eye on the "Development Road" project updates, which are the only real hedge against total oil dependency.