The conflict in the Middle East escalated sharply as the United States and Saudi Arabia launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran-backed militias across eastern Iraq, marking a significant development in the region’s worsening security crisis.
According to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the joint operation targeted logistics hubs and weapons depots allegedly used by Iran-backed armed groups. The US military said the strikes were carried out in response to a series of attacks linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which it accused of directing drone and missile operations against US personnel and critical Saudi oil infrastructure.
CENTCOM said the operation was aimed at disrupting the militias’ operational capabilities and preventing further attacks on American forces and strategic energy facilities in the region.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) confirmed that at least 20 fighters were killed and 32 others injured after the airstrikes hit military positions across several provinces. The group condemned the attacks, describing them as a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.
The military operation followed an attempted ballistic missile attack that US officials said targeted American military installations in Jordan. According to CENTCOM, all incoming missiles were intercepted before reaching their targets.
However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for launching missiles at a US air base and an intelligence facility in Jordan, saying the attack was in retaliation for what it described as American aggression.
The conflict also spread to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, where the IRGC claimed its naval forces intercepted and attacked three commercial oil tankers, alleging that the vessels ignored warnings while navigating the vital waterway. The incident has heightened concerns over the security of one of the world’s busiest oil shipping routes.
In response, US and Saudi fighter jets carried out coordinated strikes on multiple military sites in eastern Iraq. CENTCOM said the operation targeted logistics facilities and weapons storage locations linked to Iran-backed groups following more than 30 drone attacks allegedly directed by the IRGC over the previous 72 hours.
“The IRGC and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further U.S. military response,” CENTCOM said.
Following the strikes, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi convened an emergency national security meeting to assess the security situation and address the growing regional tensions.
Saudi Arabia also reported intercepting several explosive drones targeting petroleum facilities in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province. Saudi defence officials alleged that the drones were launched by Iran-affiliated militia groups operating from Iraqi territory.
Iran denied any direct involvement in the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, warning that blaming Tehran for the actions of regional armed groups could further escalate the crisis and increase the risk of a wider regional conflict.
The renewed hostilities came only days after US President Donald Trump spoke of “very friendly negotiations” with Iran, raising hopes of easing tensions. Those expectations were short-lived as the latest military exchanges ended the brief pause in hostilities.
The escalation also rattled global energy markets, with crude oil prices rising sharply amid fears that continued fighting could disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
