US and Saudi Arabia strike ‘Iran-aligned’ groups in Iraq

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that the United States and Saudi Arabia carried out joint air strikes in Iraq on groups described as “Iran-aligned.” The strikes were reported on July 29, 2026, after drone attacks had targeted US forces in the region and Saudi oil facilities, according to the publisher’s brief report.

Saudi Arabia said it acted in self-defence, Al Jazeera reported. Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella of mostly Shia armed factions that has been formally incorporated into Iraq’s security structure, said at least 20 people were killed. The available article text does not identify the precise locations struck, the individual groups targeted, or whether Iraqi authorities approved or condemned the operation.

The development matters because any direct US-Saudi military action inside Iraq risks widening regional tensions involving Washington, Riyadh, Baghdad and Tehran-linked armed networks. Iraq has repeatedly been a flashpoint for attacks on US personnel and for retaliatory strikes against militias accused by the US and its partners of operating with Iranian support.

Context not detailed in Al Jazeera’s short item: the Popular Mobilisation Forces emerged as a major security actor during the fight against ISIL and include factions with varying loyalties and political influence. Strikes on Iraqi territory can be highly sensitive for Baghdad, which must balance relations with the US, neighbouring Iran, and domestic armed and political groups. Further confirmation from the governments involved and Iraqi officials would be needed to establish the full scope and consequences of the reported operation.