The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Wednesday morning that American and Saudi fighter jets carried out precision airstrikes in eastern Iraq, targeting Iran-aligned groups linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The operation struck multiple logistics and weapons sites in response to over 30 IRGC-directed drone attacks in the previous 72 hours. Meanwhile, PMF-connected channels report that an explosion at a militia-owned ammunition depot in Basra killed one Iraqi, attributing the blast to the airstrikes.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed earlier this morning (05:22 Jerusalem) that American and Saudi fighter jets struck 30 logistics and weapons storage sites in eastern Iraq, targeting Iran-aligned militias linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The operation was a direct response to more than 30 IRGC-directed drone attacks in the previous 72 hours. Shortly after the confirmation, PMF-affiliated sources reported that an explosion at a militia ammunition depot in Basra Governorate killed one Iraqi, attributing the blast to the airstrikes. The casualty figure has not been independently verified by CENTCOM, and the depot was among the sites struck in the broader operation.
The Zioneer first reported at 05:22 Jerusalem on analyst Chananel Aviv’s initial report of strikes in the Iraqi capital, which was quickly followed by CENTCOM’s confirmation of a joint U.S.-Saudi operation. The desk’s subsequent updates detailed the 30-target scope, and the daily Eye on Zion briefing at 06:06 Jerusalem summarized the operation alongside other developments, including the IRGC’s attempted preemptive strike on U.S. forces earlier this morning.
The escalation is part of a broader U.S.-led campaign against Iran-backed forces, as The Zioneer has reported in recent weeks. On June 27, CENTCOM confirmed strikes on IRGC bases and drone positions in Bushehr, Iran. Additional U.S. airstrikes followed on June 28 after an IRGC suicide drone attack on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. On July 12, the IRGC fired three missiles at a Kuwaiti port and a U.S. base on the border. The current joint strikes in Iraq mark another phase in this intensifying confrontation, with CENTCOM vowing to continue targeting IRGC-linked assets until attacks cease.
The full extent of damage from the operation remains undisclosed. CENTCOM has not confirmed the Basra explosion or the reported casualty, and damage assessments for the 30 targets have not been released. The reliability of the PMF-linked sources has not been independently corroborated, and further details on the casualty are awaited.
6 developments
- StrongStrike on Nineveh Plains in Iraq leaves wounded, analyst reports
- StrongIranian state TV reports 8 killed in US strikes on Bandar Abbas and Bushehr
- StrongUS strikes targeted five Iranian provinces, Health Ministry says, confirming 14 dead, 78 wounded
- StrongUS strikes on military base in Isfahan province kill and wound several, deputy governor says
Source and signal
- Open-source intake