US-Saudi Airstrikes on Iraqi Soil Spark Diplomatic Fallout
The Iraqi government has condemned joint US-Saudi airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias across seven provinces in the country. The strikes, which killed at least 20 members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), were described by President Nizar Amidi as a 'flagrant violation' of Iraq's sovereignty.
US Central Command confirmed carrying out precision strikes against 'terrorist logistics and weapons sites' in eastern Iraq. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense said its air defenses had intercepted drones launched from Iraq targeting energy facilities, prompting the strikes under the kingdom's right to self-defense.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi postponed a planned trip to Riyadh, citing 'today's events', while former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani warned against what he called a 'dangerous overstep' of Islamic brotherhood. The PMF described the strikes as a 'highly dangerous escalation' and a violation of Iraq's sovereignty.
The operation marks the first time Saudi Arabia has publicly claimed responsibility for conducting strikes on Iraqi soil since the US-Iran war began. President Trump said the US had coordinated with Iraqi officials before the operation, calling the targeted militias a 'cancer on the world.'