US and Saudi forces struck Iranian-backed terrorists in Iraq overnight between Monday and Tuesday, US Central Command reported.
The Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have been targeting Saudi Arabia over the past several days, from July 26-28. They have targeted Saudi Arabia numerous times over the past six months. They also targeted it as far back as 2019.
Riyadh has often chosen not to respond, preferring to err on the side of de-escalation. With US backing, the kingdom is now sending a new message: It won’t tolerate this any longer.
American forces and “the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces conducted precision strikes in Iraq, July 28, against Iran-aligned terrorists that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directed to attack US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure,” US Central Command reported.
American and Saudi aircraft “struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” it said.
Clearly, Iran has mobilized its militias to attack Saudi Arabia since the US stopped its airstrikes against Iran.
It’s worth recalling that tensions grew earlier this month between the US and Iran, and the US carried out 13 days of airstrikes against Iran before pausing them on July 26. Meanwhile, Iran began trying to increase its support for the Houthis in Yemen.
Iran increases support of hostile militias
On July 13, the Houthis accused Riyadh of an attack against Sanaa Airport. On July 21, the Houthis announced a naval blockade, targeting Saudi Arabia, and began attacks on ships in the Red Sea. This was followed by attacks from Iraq against Saudi Arabia, intending to create a two-front war against Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia and the US coordinated a response over the past few days.
“From February through April 2026, there were more than 600 attempted attacks on US citizens and facilities by Iran-aligned terrorist militias in Iraq,” CENTCOM reported. “The IRGC and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further US military response.”
The militias in Iraq have targeted the autonomous Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq as well as Jordan, Kuwait, and other countries. In recent days, they increased attacks on Erbil in the Kurdistan Region. Militias in the Nineveh Plains near Mosul targeted Erbil, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government.
It’s important to understand the history of US-Saudi Arabia ties.
US-Saudi relations developed into a strategic partnership during the 20th century, particularly after president Franklin Roosevelt met Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz aboard the USS Quincy in 1945. The relationship combined American interest in regional stability and energy resources alongside Saudi focus on external threats.
During the Cold War, both countries opposed Soviet influence and revolutionary movements in the Middle East. They backed the rebellion in Afghanistan against the Soviets.
Cooperation deepened after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, when Saudi Arabia hosted US forces. Relations faced strains after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the Iraq War, and disagreements over the Iran deal.
Relations between the US and Saudi Arabia have clearly improved. This is part of the Trump administration’s doctrine.
US President Donald Trump included Saudi Arabia among his first foreign trips during his two terms. He cemented ties with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Iraq-Saudi relations improve as Iranian relations deteriorate
Riyadh has suffered from the recent Iran war and had to shift oil exports quickly. It also has been willing to confront the Houthis.
Saudi Arabia patched things up with Iraq over the past several years. It has also been more open to China and moved forward with a ceasefire with Yemen since 2022. As such, it was also willing to consider better relations with Iran.
Riyadh shifted its policies over the past decade from dealing with threats and crises with various countries, such as Iran and Turkey, to working more closely with many of these states.
The Iranians have shown that they will still use their militias to target Saudi Arabia, one of the features of the recent war. As such, Saudi Arabia wants to send a message that it will work closely with the US to coordinate strikes.
The current round of strikes is unprecedented in terms of sending a clear public message that Saudi Arabia and the US are going to work together militarily. This builds on recent decades of training and cooperation.
The joint strikes were also highlighted in Riyadh. Saudi Arabian Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj.-Gen. Turki al-Malki said Saudi forces had struck Iran. Terrorists had attacked Saudi Arabia from Iraq, and the kingdom has a right to defend itself, he said.
Malki “affirmed the Kingdom’s inherent right to defend itself and its assets, as well as its right to respond at the appropriate time and place,” Saudi Arabia-based newspaper Arab News reported.
“Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, in a statement, stated that this ‘aggressive approach adopted by the Iran-affiliated terrorist militias in Iraq came at a time when the Kingdom was exerting efforts to contribute to ending the escalation in the region, in a manner that preserves its security and stability,’” the report said.
“These Iran-affiliated terrorist militias chose the irresponsible escalatory approach, the violation of international law, and the disregard for what Islamic brotherhood requires in terms of adhering to the principles of good neighborliness,” the ministry was quoted as saying.
Drones have been launched from Iraq, targeting oil facilities in Saudi Arabia’s eastern province, it said.
In Iraq, videos showed the aftermath of the US and Saudi strikes.
The Iranian-backed militias affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces said: “These attacks resulted in the martyrdom of a number of personnel and injuries to others, as well as material damage to several buildings and properties.”
The attacks came as Iraq’s new prime minister was visiting Turkey on his way back to Iraq. He had visited the US and Iran in recent weeks and was also going to visit Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh is asserting itself in the region. It is showing that the US-Saudi alliance is ironclad, and that Riyadh will contribute military assets to fight against Iranian-backed terrorist groups.
Most of the militias in Iraq are labeled Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the US.
The US is also showing that it will help Saudi Arabia protect its northern border with Iraq.