The United States and Saudi Arabia carried out joint military strikes against Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq on Wednesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed, marking a new phase in the Middle East conflict that has drawn the Gulf kingdom directly into the US-Iran confrontation.
CENTCOM said the coordinated operation targeted positions belonging to proxy groups that had launched attacks against American military installations and Saudi energy infrastructure in recent days. The strikes come after a series of escalating exchanges between Iran and the US-Saudi coalition, with Riyadh increasingly exposed to threats from Tehran-aligned forces operating across its borders.
The Iraqi government has condemned the strikes, with Baghdad calling them a violation of its sovereignty. Iraqi armed groups described the joint US-Saudi operation as a dangerous escalation that risked turning Iraq into a battleground for the wider US-Iran conflict. Several Iranian-backed militias active in Iraq have threatened retaliation.
The involvement of Saudi Arabia represents a notable shift in the regional dynamics of the conflict. While the kingdom has been a key US ally in the region, it has previously sought to avoid direct military engagement with Iran and its proxies during the current war, which began in February. The decision to join offensive operations signals a hardening of Saudi position as threats against its territory have mounted.
Iran-backed groups have increasingly targeted Saudi Arabia during the conflict. In recent weeks, Houthi forces in Yemen conducted missile and drone attacks against Saudi cities, while Iran-aligned Iraqi militia groups also directed strikes at Saudi energy facilities. The kingdom’s oil infrastructure has been a repeated target, disrupting global energy markets and pushing crude prices higher.
The strikes in Iraq mark the first known instance of Saudi combat forces participating directly in offensive operations alongside the US since the current war began. Washington has been pressing its Gulf allies to take a more active role as the conflict has strained American military resources and munitions stockpiles.
Observers say the move carries significant risks for Riyadh. Direct Saudi military involvement could prompt Iran to target the kingdom more aggressively, potentially drawing Saudi cities deeper into the crossfire. Iran has already demonstrated its capacity to strike at Saudi infrastructure through its network of proxies across Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
The development also complicates efforts to de-escalate the conflict. Diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran had shown tentative signs of life in recent days, with Trump stating that talks were taking place and both sides observing a pause in direct strikes. However, the joint US-Saudi operation in Iraqi territory threatens to undermine those fragile overtures.
Iraq now finds itself in a precarious position caught between its alliance with the United States and its complex relationship with neighboring Iran, which wields significant influence over Iraqi politics and militia groups. The Iraqi government has repeatedly called for foreign forces to leave its territory but has struggled to rein in the Iran-aligned armed groups operating outside its control.
