• Saudi Arabia says its air defenses destroyed several drones targeting its oil facilities in the Eastern Province, launched from Iraq by Iran-aligned groups.

Iranian official denies any link to projectiles fired at targets in Saudi Arabia

An informed military official has told Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster that Tehran strongly denies “any connection to projectiles fired from other countries towards targets” in Saudi Arabia.

“Attributing any action against US interests in the region to the Islamic Republic of Iran is a major calculation error and stems from a lack of awareness regarding the region’s situation,” the official said, according to the IRIB.

The comment came after Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence reported new drone attacks targeting its oil facilities in the Eastern Province and blamed Iran-aligned militias in Iraq for the strikes.

Explosion hits Iraqi paramilitary force’s headquarters in Basra

There’s been an explosion at the headquarters of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in the southern Basra province.

No immediate details on what caused the blast or if there were any casualties.

The PMF, which is also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, is an umbrella of armed groups, many of whom are aligned with Iran.

Smoke rises in Iraq’s Nineveh, Basra after US-Saudi strikes

A video shows column of thick smoke rising in Al-Deir District, Basra Governorate, southern Iraq, following the US-Saudi strikes.

Iraq’s paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces said its headquarters across Iraq were hit in the joint US-Saudi strikes, while the group’s command in Nineveh said at least eight have been killed and four more wounded in the attacks.

US, Saudi forces launch attacks on ‘Iran-aligned’ groups in Iraq

US Central Command (CENTCOM) says it carried out precision strikes with Saudi Arabian forces against “Iran-aligned” groups in Iraq that had allegedly attacked US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure on the orders of the IRGC.

US and Saudi fighter jets “struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours”, CENTCOM said in a statement.

It said the IRGC attacks were “unwarranted” and “not successful”.

CENTCOM added that between February and April, Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq attempted more than 600 attacks on US citizens and facilities. It warned that the IRGC and its proxies “must cease these attacks to avoid further US military response”.

Saudi Arabia confirms strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq

Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry says its armed forces, in coordination with US Central Command, conducted targeted strikes against Iranian-backed militia targets in Iraq following drone attacks on Saudi petroleum facilities.

Spokesman Turki al-Maliki referenced two earlier statements, from Monday and Tuesday, in which the ministry said air defences had intercepted drones targeting petroleum facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh regions, in attacks it said were launched from Iraqi territory by Iran-backed militias.

He added that based on the “inherent right to defend itself” and international law under Article 51 of the UN Charter, joint operations were launched against “targets belonging to those militias present on the territory of the Republic of Iraq and linked to the targeting of petroleum facilities in the kingdom”.

The ministry said Saudi Arabia “does not seek escalation”, but warned that it “will respond to any aggression it is subjected to”.

Saudi Arabia says joint US strikes in Iraq carried out in ‘self-defense’

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry says the US-Saudi strikes on “specific targets” in Iraq were based on the right of “self-defense guaranteed by international law”.

The strikes were in response to the “reprehensible” drone attacks launched by “Iranian-backed militias in Iraq” targeting the kingdom’s oil facilities, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

While “Saudi Arabia does not seek further escalation, it will not hesitate to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, citizens, and assets should it face any further attacks”, it added.

Two Iraqi armed group members wounded in air strike

Two members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have been wounded in an air attack on the paramilitary force’s headquarters in Basra, the official Iraqi News Agency reports.

The report came after the US and Saudi forces carried out attacks against Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq, citing dozens of drone attacks directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, including on Saudi oil facilities.

US-Saudi attacks kill 8 Iraqi PMF troops in Nineveh

The armed group says eight of its members have been killed in the joint Saudi-US strikes in northern Iraq’s Nineveh.

Iraq’s PMF condemns US-Saudi strikes as ‘dangerous escalation’

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) armed group says US and Saudi forces have attacked its headquarters across various regions of Iraq, resulting in several casualties and damage to its facilities.

In a statement, the PMF said the attacks represent a “highly dangerous escalation” and a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and official security institutions.

It added that relevant authorities are monitoring the situation on the ground while damage assessments and casualty counts remain ongoing.

‘This is a major escalation by both Iran and the United States’

There’s been no official reaction yet from the White House, State Department, or Pentagon.

There's just a statement from CENTCOM saying it intercepted a number of ballistic missiles headed towards US bases in the Middle East.

Local reporting suggests the target was the US airbase in Jordan that suffered three fatalities recently.

CENTCOM also issued a separate statement, saying that, acting with Saudi Arabia, it had struck a number of sites in Iraq linked to proxies believed to be acting for the IRGC who had been sending drones to target US allies and US forces in the region.

CENTCOM says those sites were destroyed. It’s not quite clear yet whether the strikes in Iraq were a response to the missile attack, or vice versa.

What is clear is that this is a major escalation by both Iran and the United States. There were essentially five days of no attacks between the two to allow peace talks to begin. Trump said those talks were “very good”, but warned he wasn’t going to wait forever for the Iranians and that, if they didn’t reach a deal, or if he judged the talks weren’t serious, then there would be a significant military response.

Houthis condemn US-Saudi attacks on Iraq’s PMF

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group has condemned US-Saudi attacks on Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces in a statement published by Al Masirah TV.

“We consider it a heinous, cowardly, and illegitimate aggression that violates all international laws and charters, and it is a blatant assault on Iraqi sovereignty and an assault on the Iraqi people in all their components and orientations,” it said.

Saudi Arabia accuses Iran-aligned groups of ‘irresponsible escalatory’ attacks

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed launching retaliatory attacks against Iran backed groups in Iraq, saying those strikes were coordinated with the US Central Command.

It says they were in response to drone attacks on its territory in the oil producing regions, in particular. Now, those regions have been targeted pretty relentlessly throughout the course of this war since it started in February. And that’s all part of Iran’s strategy to try and push up the oil price and disrupt energy supplies.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the timing of the drone attacks were really unfortunate, because GCC countries and Jordan had been trying to work collectively to try and de-escalate tensions during this five day pause in hostilities. But they said “Iran affiliated terrorist militias” chose the “irresponsible escalatory” approach.

Now Saudi Arabia says it reaffirms its right to self defense and to respond at the appropriate time.

Kuwait condemns attacks on Saudi oil sites, holds talks with Qatar on regional security

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the strike on oil infrastructure in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia as “blatant aggression” and a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty.

It said the attacks reflect the “insistence on escalating tensions” by Iran-aligned armed groups despite Riyadh’s “sincere efforts” to de-escalate tensions. Kuwait reaffirmed its “absolute solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and backed any measures it takes to protect its security and resources.

In a separate statement, the ministry said Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah held a phone call with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to discuss the broader regional security situation and diplomatic efforts to curb further escalation.

The two ministers also discussed measures to safeguard the safety and freedom of maritime navigation in strategic waterways critical to global energy supplies.

Iraq calls emergency meeting after overnight US-Saudi air attacks

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has called an emergency meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security today, Wednesday, following security developments and air attacks that hit the country at dawn.

A detailed statement regarding the events and decisions taken will be released following the meeting.

US-Saudi air strikes kill at least 20 Iraqi fighters

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) says US-Saudi attacks have killed at least 20 of its fighters and wounded 32 others in strikes across seven provinces.

The PMF said the casualty toll was preliminary and could rise with field assessments under way.

The attacks hit PMF positions in the provinces of Baghdad, Wasit, Nineveh, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala and Diyala, the state-sanctioned umbrella group of mostly Shia militias said in a statement.

The strikes also caused varying degrees of damage to buildings, vehicles and military equipment.

Kuwait, Saudi diplomats discuss regional developments in phone call

Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has discussed regional developments with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in a phone call.

The two leaders also talked about “diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing security and stability in the region and ensuring the safety and freedom of maritime navigation”, reported the Kuwait News Agency.

Attack on PMF a ‘significant infringement of Iraqi sovereignty’

So far, there’s only been a statement of what has occurred today at 3:20am: A strike on the 30th brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

Twenty people have reportedly been killed during that strike, which is obviously a major incident for the PMF. The group is legally part of Iraq’s state forces. So this is a significant infringement of Iraqi sovereignty.

There’s been no statement from Baghdad so far. Right now we know Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has had an emergency meeting with his cabinet to establish what they’re going to do and what statement they’re going to put out later today.

Saudi, Gulf foreign ministers discuss de-escalation, condemn Iran-linked attacks

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has received phone calls from his counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, during which the diplomats “stressed the importance of continuing efforts to de-escalate tensions”, according to his office.

Prince Faisal spoke with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.

The ministers stressed the importance of safeguarding “freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait” to help mitigate the security and economic fallout of the crisis.

They also condemned attacks by Iran and “its affiliated militias in Iraq and Yemen”, and emphasized continued coordination and stronger joint action through the Gulf Cooperation Council.

GCC chief condemns attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed groups

Jassim Mohammed al-Budaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has denounced the “continued terrorist attacks” on Saudi Arabia by pro-Iran militias in Iraq.

In a statement, al-Budaiwi said the violence represents a “dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty, and [is] a direct threat to its security and stability and to regional security and peace”.

GCC countries stand alongside Saudi Arabia and fully support the decisions it takes to protect its “security, sovereignty and territorial integrity”, he added.

“The secretary-general stressed that the continuation of these terrorist attacks poses a direct threat to regional peace and security, and undermines international efforts aimed at de-escalation and consolidating security and stability,” said al-Budaiwi.

Unclear who started shooting first as regional attacks shatter calm

Iran’s IRGC says it fired missiles at a US airbase in Jordan in response to “aggressive actions” by the US military.

So the question is whether this was a specific response to the US-Saudi joint strikes on the Iraqi paramilitary group, the Popular Mobilization Forces. CENTCOM’s statement has not clarified which attack happened first.

Recently, the spokesperson of the Iranian army said Iran’s responses are retaliatory and if the US doesn’t attack Iran, it will not attack US bases across the region.

At the moment, it remains unclear who started the strikes, but what is clear is the region is on edge again after days of relative calm in the Middle East.

Saudi, Gulf foreign ministers discuss de-escalation, condemn Iran-linked attacks

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has received phone calls from his counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, during which the diplomats “stressed the importance of continuing efforts to de-escalate tensions”, according to his office.

Prince Faisal spoke with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.

The ministers stressed the importance of safeguarding “freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait” to help mitigate the security and economic fallout of the crisis.

They also condemned attacks by Iran and “its affiliated militias in Iraq and Yemen”, and emphasized continued coordination and stronger joint action through the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Proxy attacks on Saudi Arabia not a wise move by Iran

Iran is making a mistake by allowing its proxies to target Saudi Arabia, says Sultan Barakat, a professor at Qatar’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

Over the past few months, Iran adopted the wise approach of keeping Riyadh out of the war and managed to “successfully neutralize their influence”, Barakat said.

However, Iran has seemingly lost control over its proxies in Iraq and Yemen over the past couple of weeks, he said, adding “little by little” these armed groups have changed Saudi Arabia’s stance.

“First they started by undermining its interests in the Red Sea, and now we’re seeing direct attacks on Saudi installations coming from Iraq,” said Barakat.

This is significant “not only because it will probably force Saudi to change its position vis-à-vis the war, but it will also maybe change the global alliance for President Trump, because many more countries will come to Saudi Arabia’s aid, particularly in the Red Sea, if the equation changes”.

It’s a “really bad calculation” on Iran’s part because over the past two weeks Tehran “managed to shift the discussion from the nuclear program to the Strait of Hormuz”, said Barakat.

Iraqi PM postpones visit to Saudi Arabia after deadly attack

An Iraqi government source says the Iraqi prime minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia has been postponed.

Al-Zaidi was expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for an official visit to sign memoranda of understanding across several sectors, as well as discuss security coordination and regional developments.

The postponement comes after joint US-Saudi attacks killed at least 20 Iraqi fighters this morning.

Iraqi senior Shi’ite cleric Sadr urges Iran’s Guards, militias to keep attacks off Iraqi soil

Influential Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and armed militias on to refrain from attacks involving Iraqi territory, warning against dragging the country into another war.

In a statement on X Sadr said on Wednesday, Iraq had not been used as a launching pad for attacks on Iran and that the Revolutionary Guards should therefore keep away from Iraqi soil. he said adding that “rogue militias must not give our brothers in the Gulf states a pretext to target our sacred land.”

He urged all sides not to “be drawn into the schemes of the Zionist-American enemy to incite brothers to fight and kill one another.”

Sadr condemned violations of Iraq’s sovereignty and what he called attempts by militias to “drag Iraq into a pointless war,” calling on the government to establish security and enforce state authority. He also cautioned against “dormant terrorist cells, both within and outside the country,” that could exploit sectarianism to destabilize Iraq.

“Iraq and its people need peace,” Sadr said, adding that the country had “had enough of a war that has, regrettably, drained all of Iraq’s resources and dignity.” He appealed to neighboring states for peace and reconciliation, calling for a region “free from foreign bases, normalization, and the abhorrent colonial hegemony.”

Iraqi militia decries ‘treacherous terrorist attack’

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have denounced the US-Saudi attacks that killed at least 20 fighters and warn that “units remain on full alert”.

In a statement on Telegram, it condemned “the treacherous terrorist attack launched by Saudi Arabia and the United States, which targeted a number of Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters and infrastructure”.

The PMF, an umbrella group for Iraqi militias backed, trained and loyal to Iran, said the attacks represent a “highly dangerous escalation” and a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and official security institutions.

Qatar condemns attacks by Iranian proxy groups on Saudi oil sites

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has denounced the strikes on oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.

It called the attacks a “blatant violation of Saudi sovereignty” and a “flagrant breach of international law”, according to a statement.

Doha reaffirmed its “full solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and said it backed any measures Riyadh takes to protect its sovereignty and security.

Bahrain condemns attacks by Iran-backed groups on Saudi oil sites

Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the strikes on oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia as “a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and stability”.

It said the attacks by Iran-aligned armed groups undermine “efforts aimed at reducing escalation in the region”.

Bahrain reaffirmed its “full solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and backed any measures it takes to protect its sovereignty, security and stability.

US attack reported in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province

Iranian news outlets report an attack has occurred in an area near the Piranshahr border in northwestern Iran.

“An American enemy missile hit an uninhabited area in the province causing no casualties,” Fars news agency reported, quoting a local official.

If the attack was to retaliate the air strikes by Iran on the Jordanian airbase hosting US military planes, then CENTCOM has to explain why Iran has attacked. Because, on July 27th, Iran have made clear that it ceases attacks on US assets in the region in response to Trump's decision to cease his attacks on Iran. The latter for both political and military reasons.

Iran says US-Saudi attack ‘clear aggression’ against Iraq

Tehran has condemned US-Saudi strikes on seven areas in Iraq calling it “clear aggression against the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq”.

The deadly attacks “are a gross violation” international law and are “in line with the aspirations of the United States and the Zionist regime to expand the scope of war”, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“While expressing condolences for the martyrdom of a group of honorable Iraqi people during these aggressive attacks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the full support and solidarity of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the government and people of Iraq, and holds the warmongering US regime and its accomplices in the region responsible for the dangerous consequences of these criminal, inhumane, and provocative actions,” it added.

Ex-PM condemns attack on Iraq as a ‘blatant violation’

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has condemned the deadly US-Saudi strikes on Iraqi fighters.

“We condemn, in the strongest terms, the Saudi-American attack targeting Popular Mobilization Forces positions in Iraq,” al-Sudani said in a statement on Facebook.

He called the strike “a blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty” and “a clear breach of international law and the UN Charter”, as well as a transgression against “the principle of Islamic brotherhood”.

The “timing of this attack raises many questions”, Sudani said, noting it came after the government formed committees to investigate allegations that drones were launched from Iraqi territory towards Saudi oil facilities.

That step, he said, “reflected the Iraqi state’s commitment to addressing issues through legal and institutional frameworks, not through military escalation”.

Iraq “retains all its legitimate rights guaranteed by international law”, said al-Sudani, adding any infringement of Iraq’s security and stability “is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated”.

July 27, 2026

Iraqi PM orders investigation into Saudi drone attack allegations

Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi has ordered security authorities to investigate Saudi Arabia’s claims that drones targeting the kingdom were launched from Iraqi territory, according a statement by armed forces spokesman Sabah Al-Numan.

Baghdad said it remains committed to preventing Iraqi soil from being used as a launch pad for attacks on neighboring states, and warned it will take legal action against anyone found responsible once the investigation concludes.

The government described its ties with Saudi Arabia as “deep-rooted and fraternal,” vowing to protect Iraq’s sovereignty and safeguard regional security and stability.

Iraqi president condemns Saudi-US strikes

Iraqi President Nizar Amedi has condemned the Saudi-US attack on the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq.

In a statement, Amedi said the deadly strikes were “unacceptable” and a “blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, targeting its official security institutions in contravention of international law and the Charter of the United Nations”.

Amedi said Iraq’s territory must not be used as “a launching pad or arena for attacks on neighboring countries or for settling regional and international scores”.

He urged “all parties to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and refrain from any actions that could undermine its security and stability”.

Attack by Iranian proxy groups on oil facilities ‘incredibly significant’: Saudi

The recent strikes by Iranian proxy groups on Saudi Arabia have raised fears among Gulf countries that this conflict will broaden.

Gulf states have been trying to avoid this throughout the US-Iran conflict. They do not believe this is their war to fight and they have said repeatedly they don’t want to get dragged into it.

But Saudi Arabia has been pretty firm in its words and actions. It said it doesn’t want to escalate this conflict but added it will respond to “aggression”.

Over the past 12 hours, Saudi Arabia reiterated it responded with strikes on an Iran-backed group in Iraq in coordination with US Central Command because that group had hit Saudi oil facilities in its eastern province.

Those oil-producing facilities have been almost relentlessly targeted by Iran or Iran-backed groups based in Iraq throughout this conflict, so this is nothing new. But Saudi Arabia’s reaction is new.

In a second statement, Riyadh highlighted the significance of the timing of this attack.

It said that, along with GCC countries, Saudi Arabia has been trying to shore up diplomacy behind the scenes to try and find a solution to the war, and the fact this attack happened now is incredibly significant.

"..the significance of the timing.."

However, former Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said today, the “timing of this attack raises many questions”, noting it came after the government formed committees to investigate* allegations that drones were launched from Iraqi territory towards Saudi oil facilities.

*) On July 27, 2026, Iraq's new prime minister ordered an investigation into Saudi drone attack allegations.
 

Trump pledges response to surprise Iran attack on Jordan base

President ⁠Trump has pledged to “hit ⁠Iran hard” after the US military said it intercepted ‌multiple ballistic missiles launched towards American forces in the ⁠Middle East.

The comments came in an interview with Fox News. It ⁠was not ⁠broadcast, but a Fox reporter summarized Trump’s response.

After an expletive-laden threat, Trump told Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst: “We’ll be hitting them hard. They’re going to get a beating.”

He said the missile attack gave American troops only minutes to react before they successfully intercepted the incoming projectiles.

Trump also said overnight air strikes carried out by U.S. and Saudi forces against Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq were conducted in coordination with the Iraqi government. He described the militias as “a cancer on the world” and said his administration was weighing additional actions aimed at Iranian proxy groups.

Well, it should leave by one retaliatory attack, more of these attacks is resorting to escalation.

Iraqi armed group condemns US-Saudi strikes, threatens retaliatory attacks

Harakat al-Nujaba, an armed group in the Popular Mobilization Forces, has condemned US-Saudi attacks across “safe Iraqi cities”, saying those killed would be avenged.

In a statement, it demanded the expulsion of US forces from the country, saying their continued presence “has become an imminent threat to the country’s security and stability”.

It also called for an end to cooperation with Saudi Arabia and for the deployment of advanced air defense systems and threatened retaliatory attacks against US and Saudi interests.

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces has said at least 20 of its members were killed and 32 wounded in joint Saudi-US strikes on its sites across the country.

Iraqi security council condemns US-Saudi attack, urges de-escalation

Iraq’s National Security Council has held an emergency meeting with the commander-in-chief of the armed forces to discuss the US-Saudi attack that killed at least 20 militia members.

“The meeting affirmed the government’s firm and rejecting stance toward all hostile acts, regardless of the executing party or the justifications relied upon, emphasising that dealing with and confronting such aggression is an exclusive responsibility of the Iraqi government,” the council said in a statement.

It called for “employing diplomatic means as a path to resolving disputes”, and said Iraq should steer “away from regional conflicts”.

Iraq’s presidency earlier denounced the attack and “the use of Iraqi territory as a launching point or battleground for attacks against neighboring countries”.

Saudi-US strikes kill four IRGC members, Iranian media reports

At least four members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in a joint Saudi-US attack, says the semi-official Mehr news agency.

Iraq fails to respond to Trump’s attack ‘coordination’ comments

Iraq's government has released a statement following the National Security Council meeting.

It predictably voiced its condemnation of the attacks and called for “good neighborliness” in comments, presumably directed at Saudi Arabian neighbors.

However, there was nothing said referencing President Trump’s claim that there was “coordination” between the US and the Iraqi governments in that targeting. So we’ll have to see what additional statements will come regarding that.

Earlier, there was also the cancellation of a diplomatic visit by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, which would have been his first to Saudi Arabia and the first of his premiership.

In addition, various Shia politicians and pro-Iranian politicians have all decried the actions of Saudi Arabia and the US.

Iraqi paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah urges government to defend sovereignty

The Iran-aligned group says in a statement that a response to the recent US-Saudi attack is “inevitable”, warning it could target US “tools” in Saudi Arabia.

Kataib Hezbollah said it would give the Iraqi government until August 6 to demonstrate it can defend Iraq’s sovereignty.

The statement follows Saudi Arabia’s announcement today that it intercepted drones launched from Iraqi territory targeting oil facilities in its eastern region, which Riyadh blamed on Iran-linked militias — heightening pressure on Baghdad over armed groups operating from its soil amid the broader regional fallout from the Iran war.

Saudi Arabia felt it ‘had to take action’ against Iraqi groups

Saudi Arabia has been reluctantly involved in this war because of the number of attacks on Saudi territory.

According to many sources close to the Saudis, it has been very difficult to keep them from attacking Iran in retaliation.

This was the perfect opportunity, after such a long time of waiting and patience, especially when [yesterday’s attack by Iran-backed militias in Iraq] happened at the Aramco refinery.

The Houthis claimed that they attacked it, but the Saudis actually tracked these drones coming from Iraqi territory, and then they had to take action.

That is why you see this across seven provinces and more than 20 targets hit in these retaliatory strikes.

What is interesting here is that it is not just the [Popular Mobilization Forces] or Kataib Hezbollah; it is also Iranian advisers who were targeted.

So that just goes to show that there is a level of intel that the Americans and the Saudis have within Iraq, and they wanted to perhaps show a message to the Iraqi militias that if you get involved, you’ll be hit and you’ll be hit hard.

Iranian sources confirm US-Saudi attack killed several IRGC members

Iranian sources are now confirming that [at least] four people affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards have been killed in a joint attack by the Americans and Saudis – all adding layers and complexity to this brutal and already complicated situation.

Iraq demands ‘proof regarding launch of attack’ on Saudi Arabia from its territory

Baghdad has complained that US-Saudi “aggression has hindered investigation efforts regarding the alleged targeting of Saudi Arabia”.

“We demand evidence and proof regarding the launch of attacks from Iraq, and no party has provided any evidence,” the spokesperson for the commander-in-chief for Iraq’s armed forces told the Iraqi News Agency.

Security leaders are working on a plan to “prevent attacks and preserve Iraq’s sovereignty”, the spokesperson added.

Trump’s comments may have put the Iraqi PM in a difficult situation

Most recently, a statement was released by the government claiming that they need proof that the original attacks on Saudi infrastructure were perpetrated by actors inside Iraq itself.

This feels like a rhetorical shift and an aggressive move to try to question the premise of the entire incident and the counterstrikes that have been observed here.

It might also potentially be an attempt to distract from some of the comments made by President Trump earlier today, which are potentially difficult for the Iraqi prime minister.

Trump said that there was coordination between the Iraqi government and the US in targeting the PMF in the last 24 hours

The Iraqi PM has to contend with the large pro-Iranian lobby in this country, who will be very displeased to find out if that is indeed true.

They represent about half of the seats in parliament, and if they were to turn against him, that could be very politically problematic.

Lebanese MP condemns Iraqi militia attacks on Saudi Arabia, blames Iran

Ashraf Rifi, a Lebanese member of parliament, has condemned the drone attacks by Iraqi militias on Saudi Arabia, calling any assault on the kingdom a “threat to regional security and stability”.

The attacks on Saudi demand “a clear Arab position rejecting the targeting of states and their sovereignty”, Rifi said in a statement.

The lawmaker added the actions of the “illegitimate, Iran-backed Iraqi militias” are “condemned” and fit within “a systematic policy that uses proxies to destabilize and impose regional agendas by force”.

“We declare our solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and affirm its legitimate right to take all decisive measures to defend its security and sovereignty in accordance with international law.”