US and Saudi Arabia strike Iran-backed militias in Iraq

The United States and Saudi Arabia conducted a coordinated military strike Wednesday against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, marking the first time the kingdom has directly joined the five-month conflict between Washington and Tehran.

At least 20 combatants from the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella organization of Iraqi armed groups aligned with Iran, were killed in the offensive, according to preliminary casualty figures. An additional 32 were wounded. The PMF said the death toll remained preliminary and could rise as damage assessments continued.

The strikes targeted multiple logistics and weapons facilities across seven Iraqi provinces, including Baghdad, Basra, Kirkuk, Wasit, Nineveh, Karbala, and Diyala. Damage was reported to buildings, vehicles, and military equipment at the targeted positions.

U.S. Central Command and Saudi Arabia's armed forces announced the operation as a response to more than 30 drone attacks launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against American forces and Saudi energy infrastructure over the preceding 72 hours. Saudi officials said they had intercepted and shot down several drones targeting petroleum installations in the country's east.

The joint operation represents a significant shift in Saudi Arabia's regional posture. For five months, the kingdom had maintained a policy of restraint despite the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States. Officials characterized the strikes as "precision" attacks against what they described as terrorists aligned with Iran.

The offensive came hours after American air defense systems intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles targeting a U.S. military base in Jordan on Tuesday. Iran confirmed it had launched the missile strike, which it characterized as retaliation for earlier American operations.