Iraq's Balancing Act Put to the Test by US-Saudi Strikes

The recent joint US-Saudi airstrikes on Iraq have put Baghdad's delicate balancing act between Riyadh and Tehran to the test. The strikes, which targeted Iran-linked militias in Iraq, were in retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities launched from Iraqi territory.

Riyadh's foreign ministry described the joint attacks as an act of 'self-defence' while signalling that the kingdom would carry out further strikes if attacks on its soil resumed. However, both Riyadh and the Iran-linked militias currently appear to want a sustained military confrontation.

The US-Saudi attacks have also come at a sensitive moment for Iraq as it moves to bring weapons held by non-state armed groups under state control and deepen political and economic ties with the US and Saudi Arabia.