The United States is completing its withdrawal of combat forces from Iraq this week, two decades after the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Here is what the move means.

The exit follows a bilateral agreement reached in 2024 under the Biden administration and implemented by the Trump administration. US forces were scheduled to leave their last bases by September 30.

America’s military presence in Iraq evolved from occupation to counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State. Around 4,500 US service members died during the conflict.

The withdrawal is celebrated in Tehran and by Iran-backed militias in Baghdad, who see it as a victory and a step towards Iraqi sovereignty.

Analysts are divided. Some argue the departure reduces a target for attacks and lets Iraq stand on its own. Others warn that it creates space for Iranian influence and a possible ISIS resurgence. A residual advisory relationship will likely continue, but the era of large American combat deployments in Iraq has ended, reshaping the strategic map of the Middle East.