Saudi Arabia and the United States carried out joint military strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq early Wednesday, the Saudi Ministry of Defence confirmed, in a significant escalation of the regional conflict beyond the direct US-Iran theater.
The strikes targeted headquarters and positions of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella organization of mostly Shia militias formally integrated into Iraq’s security apparatus. The PMF reported that at least eight of its members were killed and four others wounded in the coordinated operation.
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said the strikes were conducted in coordination with US Central Command (CENTCOM) and were a direct response to drone attacks launched from Iraqi territory against Saudi oil infrastructure. Saudi air defences had intercepted and destroyed several drones that attempted to target petroleum facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh regions, the ministry said in a statement.
The drones, according to Riyadh, were launched from Iraqi territory by Iran-aligned militant groups. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed militias, denied responsibility for the drone attacks, calling the Saudi claims fabrications and warning that any Saudi action would be met with a harsh response.
The PMF called the strikes a highly dangerous escalation and a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty. The condemnation reflects the delicate position of the Iraqi government, which has sought to prevent its territory from being used as a staging ground for attacks on neighboring states while balancing ties with both Washington and Tehran.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for emergency talks, just days after he ordered Iraqi security agencies to investigate the drone strikes on Saudi soil. The Iraqi military issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to preventing Iraqi territory from being used as a launch point for attacks on any country.
The joint operation marks a notable expansion of Saudi Arabia’s military role in the ongoing regional conflict. Riyadh has largely remained on the sidelines during the direct US-Iran hostilities, but the targeting of its energy infrastructure has drawn the kingdom directly into the fight.
Wednesday’s strikes also come amid a broader pause in direct US-Iran strikes, with both sides observing a halt in hostilities for several days to allow diplomatic channels to function. US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea confirmed that attacks on Iran had been halted for a third consecutive night to give talks space.
The situation in Iraq adds a new layer of complexity to the already volatile regional picture. Any sustained military campaign on Iraqi soil risks alienating Baghdad and potentially fracturing the fragile political coalition that has governed the country since the 2021 elections.
Analysts say the strikes demonstrate that while the US and Iran may be observing a bilateral pause, the broader network of Iran-backed militias across the region continues to operate, drawing in other state actors. The Houthi movement in Yemen, also backed by Tehran, has meanwhile continued attacks on Red Sea shipping, threatening alternative export routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The Saudi-US operation in Iraq signals that Riyadh is prepared to take direct military action to defend its energy infrastructure, even at the risk of further widening the conflict zone across the Middle East.
