Najaf Friday preacher warns of US-Saudi airstrikes as regional escalation

NAJAF, Iraq — Najaf's Friday preacher, Sadr al-Din Kubaynaji, has warned of escalating US and Saudi joint airstrikes, describing them as part of a faster military buildup in the region. Delivering the Friday sermon, he also weighed in on the debate over centralizing weapons under state control, saying there is no point in handing over arms when "the thief is inside the house." Kubaynaji pointed to strikes targeting Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) positions and asked whether a new coalition against Iraq was being formed. He referred to the 2014 fatwa issued against ISIS that paved the way for the PMF's establishment, saying dozens of countries had ganged up against Iraq but the religious authority's ruling had foiled that plan. He added that more than 50 people were killed or wounded in the latest strikes, stating: "Once again, Iraqi blood is mixing with Iranian blood." His remarks were interpreted as indicating that Iranian personnel were also among those killed, though the claim has not been confirmed by official sources.