US and Saudi airstrikes hit Iraq's pro‑Iran militias
The United States and Saudi Arabia carried out coordinated airstrikes against positions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of pro‑Iran militias, in seven provinces of Iraq. The attacks killed at least 20 militia members and wounded 32, according to Iraqi officials.
Saudi officials said diplomatic and political measures had been exhausted and described the operation as a precise, limited response targeting militia warehouses, not the Iraqi government or civilian population. The strikes were presented as retaliation for recent drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities that were attributed to Iran‑linked groups.
Baghdad condemned the bombings as a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty, while Tehran warned of a coordinated response with regional allies. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated the targets were groups aligned with Iran and coordinated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. The incident follows earlier US‑Saudi attacks on logistics and arms depots linked to Iran in the region.
Entities: Iran · Iraq · Islamic Resistance in Iraq · Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) · Popular Mobilization Forces · Saudi Arabia · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Iraqi government condemned the bombings as a violation of national sovereignty. (Iraqi officials)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Saudi officials said diplomatic measures were exhausted and the attack was precise, limited, and not directed at the Iraqi government or people. (Saudi official quoted to Al‑Ekhbariya)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The airstrikes killed at least 20 militia members and injured 32. (Iraqi officials)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The United States and Saudi Arabia conducted joint airstrikes on Popular Mobilization Forces positions in seven Iraqi provinces. (multiple sources)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The strikes were retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities attributed to Iran‑linked groups. (US and Saudi officials)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] US Central Command said the targets were groups aligned with Iran and coordinated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. (US CENTCOM)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Iran warned of a coordinated response with regional allies. (Iranian officials)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Popular Mobilization Forces are a coalition of pro‑Iran militias integrated into Iraq's security structure. (analysis of Iraqi security apparatus)