Saudi Arabia, US carry out strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing a Saudi Ministry of Defence statement, reported that Saudi Arabia conducted targeted strikes early Wednesday against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, saying the operation was coordinated with US Central Command. Riyadh described the action as a response to recent drone attacks that it said originated from Iraqi territory and were aimed at petroleum facilities in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province and Riyadh regions.

According to the Saudi statement, Saudi air defences had intercepted and destroyed multiple drones allegedly launched by Iran-aligned militias. The ministry said the kingdom was not seeking a broader escalation but would answer attacks against it. The article included an image reference to smoke after strikes on the Saudi Aramco refinery in Jizan, though the reported Saudi statement focused on attempted attacks in the Eastern Province and Riyadh.

The report said Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was expected to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday, after ordering Iraqi security agencies to investigate the alleged drone launches. Iraq’s military said Monday that the country was committed to stopping its territory from being used as a route or launch site for attacks on friendly or “brotherly” states.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, described by Al Jazeera as an umbrella for Iran-backed armed groups, denied involvement and rejected the Saudi allegations as false. The strikes matter because they risk widening regional tensions involving Saudi Arabia, Iraq-based militias, Iran-aligned networks and the United States, particularly given the reported coordination with CENTCOM and the focus on energy infrastructure.