U.S. military declares end of anti-ISIS Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq
Summary
The U.S. military has officially ended its anti-ISIS operation in Iraq by withdrawing all coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base. This ends a 12-year campaign against ISIS in Iraq and marks a shift to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by the U.S. through a normal security relationship.Key Facts
- Operation Inherent Resolve started in 2014 to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
- The mission ended with the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq.
- At its peak, over 160,000 U.S. troops were in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in the late 2000s.
- About 2,000 U.S. troops were still in Iraq as of early 2026 before the final withdrawal.
- The U.S. and Iraq agreed in 2024 to end the multi-country coalition against ISIS by 2025 and the mission by the end of 2026.
- ISIS no longer controls significant territory, but it still exists and poses a threat; attacks have continued, including a deadly ISIS assault in December 2025.
- Iranian-backed militias have carried out over 600 attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq in early 2026.
- Iraq’s Prime Minister has committed to disarming these militias by June 2027.
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