Key facts
- Yemen's Houthis attacked Saudi Arabia from Iraqi territory this week, coordinated with Iraqi armed groups.
- The attacks targeted oil facilities in Saudi Arabia's eastern province.
- Saudi Arabia and the United States conducted airstrikes on Iraqi sites linked to the attacks.
- Assessments indicate deepening ties and coordination among Iran-aligned militias.
- Iraq's geography and border with Saudi Arabia are seen as facilitating such attacks.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis launched attacks against Saudi Arabia this week from Iraqi territory, in coordination with Iraqi armed groups, according to assessments by Saudi Arabia and regional partners. These assessments suggest a deepening of ties and capabilities among Iran-aligned militias, often referred to as the 'Axis of Resistance.' The strikes reportedly targeted oil facilities in Saudi Arabia's eastern province, a critical hub for the kingdom's crude production.
In response to the attacks, Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with the United States, carried out airstrikes on Wednesday targeting sites in Iraq that they linked to the assaults. While Saudi officials officially blamed Iran-aligned Iraqi armed groups, the Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attacks on Saudi Arabia. Iraq has stated it is conducting an investigation into the matter.
Regional officials indicated that the attacks were supervised by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Following the Saudi-U.S. strikes, media outlets aligned with Iran reported casualties among IRGC members, Iraqi fighters, and at least one Houthi.
Analysts suggest that Iraq is becoming an increasingly important node for the 'Axis of Resistance' due to its geography and extensive, difficult-to-police border with Saudi Arabia, which facilitates covert operations. Cooperation between the Houthis and Iran-aligned Iraqi groups, particularly Kataib Hezbollah, has been ongoing, with Houthi leadership announcing a joint operations room in 2024 and reporting their first joint operation targeting Israel. The Houthis maintain a presence in Iraq, including offices and a representative who has held meetings with Iran-aligned Iraqi parties and factions.
Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi canceled a planned visit to Saudi Arabia following the strikes. He has outlined a plan to bring all arms under state control by the end of September, despite opposition from some armed factions.