US-Saudi Strikes Target Iran-Backed Groups in Iraq

The United States and Saudi Arabia conducted joint airstrikes against Iran-backed groups in Iraq on Wednesday, targeting sites responsible for recent drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. These strikes followed an Iranian missile attack on U.S. forces in Jordan earlier that day.

According to multiple reports, Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) fired ballistic missiles at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and a U.S. Central Command headquarters in Jordan. The Jordanian military stated that its air defenses intercepted five of these missiles. The IRGC also claimed responsibility for striking three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging they had ignored warnings about taking an 'unsafe and illegal route.' This account could not be immediately verified.

The U.S.-Saudi strikes targeted 'terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq,' according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. The Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed conducting precise and targeted strikes, citing its right to self-defense. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi called an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the escalating situation.

The Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Iraq reported that several of its headquarters were attacked by what it described as U.S. and Saudi forces, with preliminary reports indicating at least 20 members were killed and 32 wounded in the strikes targeting multiple bases across Iraq. Oil prices rose over $3 a barrel following the strikes, reflecting concerns about potential escalation.

The joint strikes potentially widen the conflict by drawing Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia into combat against Shi’ite proxies of Iran on a new front. It was the first time during the war that Saudi Arabia had publicly declared its participation in joint strikes alongside the United States. The renewed fighting sent oil prices rising more than $3 a barrel, with Brent crude futures again trading above $87.

President Donald Trump threatened further military actions against Iran on Friday during a meeting with his cabinet at Camp David. According to TimesLIVE and CNBC, Trump stated that the US will hit Iran 'very hard' until they can't take it anymore, indicating prolonged US military action. The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Iran of breaking a truce memorandum signed last month and attacking commercial ships and American soldiers.

According to Al Jazeera and Reuters, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired multiple ballistic missiles at U.S. military installations in Jordan early Wednesday. The strikes came after Saudi Arabia and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said they had conducted joint air strikes targeting Iran-backed militias in Iraq responsible for attacks on American troops and Saudi energy infrastructure.

According to CNBC, President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that he had canceled a planned attack on Iran following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries. The agreement would include the 'Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT' and an end to Iran's nuclear threat.

According to Al Jazeera, Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s wartime military command, warned that the US was accelerating efforts to fan the flames of a full-scale regional war. Reports suggested that the US and Israel may be imminently launching an extensive wave of attacks against Iran's civilian infrastructure.

According to The Guardian, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump to express concerns about his strike plans, urging him to de-escalate. Iran threatened to retaliate decisively against its neighbors if the US carried out strikes.