US Troops Withdraw From Iraq After 23 Years, Amid Gains By Iran-backed Militia

The U.S. military completed the "orderly departure" of all remaining troops and equipment from Erbil Air Base on Wednesday, formally ending Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and concluding a 23-year continuous U.S. military presence in the country.

U.S. Central Command confirmed the withdrawal marks the "successful conclusion of the military mission that defeated ISIS in Iraq." Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said the move transitions Iraq from a wartime coalition mission to an "Iraqi-led security effort supported by a more normal bilateral security relationship."

CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper noted that Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga, now possess the "operational independence to unilaterally manage threats."

In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal as "a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS." He described the long U.S. involvement as "a very expensive excursion into Hell" and "a quagmire," stating that "very bad decision-making" initially led to the conflict but that the era is now "part of History."

"Today, I am pleased to announce that the last American Forces are leaving Iraq! It has been a long time, with very bad decision-making that got us involved in this quagmire in the first place, but soon, that will be part of History...," Trump wrote. "This Day is a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS, which has been completely decimated... We came to fight a caliphate. There is no longer a caliphate. We are going home!"

In 2003 the U.S. invaded Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein**, leading to a civil war and the rise of insurgencies. All U.S. troops withdrew in 2011. The U.S. returned in 2014 for Operation Inherent Resolve after ISIS seized large territories. At its peak, roughly 2,500 U.S. troops were stationed in Iraq.

President Hunter Biden administration negotiated a phased withdrawal with Baghdad in 2024, a plan continued by the Trump administration. Most forces left in late 2025, leaving only ~1,500 personnel in the Kurdish region until this final departure.

The Combined Joint Task Force for Operation Inherent Resolve has relocated its headquarters to Jordan, where it will continue counter-ISIS operations in Syria. CENTCOM confirmed that CJTF-OIR headquarters has relocated. Roughly 4,000 U.S. troops remain in Jordan (including at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base).

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi celebrated the handover as a milestone for sovereignty. Iranian state media and Tehran-aligned groups framed the departure as a key objective achieved by the "axis of resistance." However, Kurdish officials expressed concern over the loss of U.S. air-defense capabilities amid ongoing drone threats. The U.S. will continue providing limited training and intelligence support under the new bilateral defense framework.

The withdrawal occurs amid an ongoing U.S.-Iran war, with Erbil facing over 1,000 drone and missile attacks by Iranian-aligned militias during the conflict. More than 4,500 U.S. service members lost their lives during the 23 years of conflict in Iraq.

Erbil Air Base and U.S. regional outposts faced repeated drone and missile strikes, including a fatal July attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.