US, Saudi Forces Strike Iran-Aligned Groups in Iraq After Drone Attacks

Key facts

• Saudi Arabia intercepted drones launched from Iraq targeting oil facilities.
• US and Saudi forces conducted precision strikes in Iraq against Iran-aligned groups.
• Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have struck three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iraq's Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaydi called for an urgent security meeting.
• GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi condemned the attacks as a dangerous escalation.

US and Saudi forces conducted strikes in Iraq against Iran-aligned militant groups following drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Saudi Arabia's defense ministry intercepted multiple drones launched from Iraq, attributing them to Iran-affiliated terrorist militias and reserving the right to respond. The action has heightened regional tensions, with Iran warning that blaming it for such attacks constitutes a "major miscalculation." Iran's Revolutionary Guards also claimed to have fired ballistic missiles at US military installations and struck three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Iraq's Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaydi called an urgent security meeting following the US-Saudi strikes, which reportedly hit headquarters of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces, killing at least 10 members. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi condemned the attacks as a dangerous escalation and a threat to regional security, expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia. Oman has proposed a new regional deal to manage the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy flows.