US and Saudi Forces Strike Back at Tehran-Backed Militias in Iraq

The conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia has escalated again after a brief pause in fighting. On Tuesday, the U.S. military said it knocked down an Iranian missile barrage and worked with Saudi forces to strike sites in Iraq that Tehran-backed militias have used to launch attacks in recent days.

According to a U.S. official, the two attacks were not connected, with Iran launching its ballistic missile attack before American and Saudi forces carried out strikes in Iraq. The U.S. Central Command said the Revolutionary Guard and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further U.S. military response.

Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry acknowledged the strikes, warning that it does not seek escalation but will respond to any aggression it faces. The kingdom also shot down drones fired by Iran-backed militias in Iraq for a second day, while Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed to have forced a Saudi oil tanker to turn around as part of their self-styled blockade of the kingdom.