The United States and Saudi Arabia conducted joint precision airstrikes in Iraq on July 28 targeting groups described by Washington as teroriști aliniați Iranului, according to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). The joint military operation utilized American and Saudi fighter jets to strike numerous logistical objectives and weapons depots in eastern Iraq.
US and Saudi Forces Strike Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq
According to CENTCOM, the targeted factions were acting under the direction of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and were actively planning attacks against American military personnel in the region as well as Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure. The strikes came in response to more than 30 drone attacks directed by the IRGC over a 72-hour period, according to CENTCOM.
Saudi Arabia’s Unprecedented Military Action
The involvement of Riyadh marks a notable shift for the kingdom, which has largely avoided being fully drawn into the regional conflict. The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced in a statement that the nation carried out lovituri limitate și punctuale against Iran-backed militias in Iraq that were implicated in attacks on Saudi petroleum installations. Prior to the joint operation, the Saudi ministry reported intercepting and destroying multiple drones launched from Iraq targeting oil facilities in the eastern part of the kingdom.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense emphasized that the kingdom does not seek an escalation but will respond to any aggression directed against it. This represents the first time Riyadh has officially taken responsibility for launching strikes on Iraqi territory since the beginning of the conflict between the United States and Iran.
Simultaneous Missile Interceptions and Regional Escalation
The joint strikes in Iraq unfolded alongside a wider regional escalation on July 28. CENTCOM announced that forces from the IRGC launched a surprise attack using multiple ballistic missiles from Iran directed at American forces stationed in the Middle East at 5:45 p.m. Eastern Time. An American official told CNN that preliminary estimates indicated Iran launched a maximum of four ballistic missiles. CENTCOM confirmed that toate rachetele iraniene au fost interceptate cu succes and that American forces remain vigilant and in a state of high alert.
The attacks occurred shortly after diplomatic friction between Washington and Tehran. US President Donald Trump stated that the United States had suspended strikes on Iran to give diplomacy a chance and claimed Tehran wanted to hold discussions. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei disputed the claim, stating that Tehran was not engaged in negotiations with the United States. Meanwhile, the IRGC separately asserted that it launched ballistic missiles toward American military targets and a CENTCOM command center in Jordan in retaliation for US military actions.
Impact on Iraqi Militia Infrastructure
Inside Iraq, the early morning airstrikes targeted militia presence, including an air attack that struck the headquarters of an Iran-aligned militia in Basra. Among the groups operating in the country is the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella organization integrated into Iraq’s official security forces that was originally formed in 2014 during the advance of ISIS. Iran has increasingly co-opted the PMF—composed primarily of Shia paramilitary groups—to project influence across Iraq.
As of the announcements, neither Iranian nor Iraqi authorities had issued public reactions to the joint US-Saudi operation, and the Saudi military did not provide additional logistical details regarding the execution of the strikes.
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