DUBAI, UAE - A senior leader in Iraq’s Fateh Alliance warned Tuesday that the drone attacks targeting Iraqi military bases are part of a broader plan to drag the country into regional conflict and weaken its defenses, same day Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani launched a committee to investigate the incidents.

Ali al-Fatlawi, a prominent figure in the alliance led by Hadi al-Amiri, told The New Region that the strikes were aimed at two main objectives “first, to pull Iraq into the ongoing war in the region, which is what Israel wants, and second, to destroy Iraq’s advanced air defense systems to make future attacks easier.”

“These are serious threats,” Fatlawi said. “We must take urgent steps to protect our critical radar systems and prevent escalation.”

The comments came hours after a wave of suicide drone attacks hit several Iraqi military bases, including Taji Camp north of Baghdad and Imam Ali Base in Dhi Qar province. 

The strikes caused major damage to air defense radar systems but did not result in any casualties, according to Iraq’s Armed Forces.

In response, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, who also serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, ordered the formation of a high-level intelligence and technical committee to investigate the incident.

Photos of some other UAVs reported fallen in Maysan province and received by The New Region show some Iranian made Shahed-136 drones as Security Analyst Federico Borsari identified for The New Region.

Borsari added that the drone had a range of around 1500 kilometers and while it is Iranian, pro-Iran Iraqi armed groups may also have access to it.

Spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief, Sabah al-Numan, said Iraqi forces successfully intercepted and downed drones targeting four other sites. He confirmed that all of the locations were fully operated by Iraqi security forces.

“These treacherous attacks will not go unpunished,” Numan said. “The investigation will identify the parties responsibqle and ensure accountability.”

Sudani said Tuesday that violations of Iraqi airspace "cannot continue for a sovereign state," adding that the Ministry of Defense has begun contracts to strengthen the country’s air defense system.

Speaking during the weekly Council of Ministers meeting, Sudani also said Iraqi forces shot down drones attempting to target other military sites, stressing that the government "will not tolerate any internal or external act that threatens Iraq’s security."