Iranians cross into southern Iraq for cheaper groceries and internet, hours after air strike disrupts commercial trade

Iranians crossed into Iraq via the Shalamcha border on Sunday, hours after an airstrike hit near the Iranian side, cutting power and halting trade for several hours, said Haider Abdul Samad, the crossing’s deputy director.

The strike occurred around 3 a.m. and was not the first since the war began, he said, without providing details on casualties or the strike. Electricity was restored and trade resumed by mid-morning, but Abdul Samad said such disruptions have become routine amid the ongoing war.

Cross-border movement has significantly declined, though dozens of Iranians continue to enter Iraq seeking cheaper goods, internet access and brief family visits before returning to nearby cities such as Abadan and Ahvaz.

Many described the U.S. and Israeli strikes as relentless and frightening but said they would not leave.