Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq officially announced Wednesday morning that at least 20 operatives were killed and 32 wounded in overnight US and Saudi airstrikes, according to the militias' statement. The announcement follows the joint US-Saudi strikes on multiple militia targets in eastern Iraq reported earlier today.
Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq officially announced Wednesday morning that at least 20 operatives were killed and 32 wounded in overnight US-Saudi airstrikes, according to a statement from the militias. This is the first casualty toll released by the targeted groups themselves following the joint operation, which was first reported by The Zioneer at 07:17 Jerusalem.
The evolution of reporting on the strikes began at 07:17 Jerusalem, when CENTCOM confirmed joint US-Saudi precision strikes against logistics and weapons storage sites of Iran-linked terror organizations in eastern Iraq, in response to more than 30 drone attacks directed by the IRGC. Shortly after, various sources reported casualties: Abu Ali Express reported at least 10 killed across seven sites; an Iraqi security source told Al Araby TV that 12 PMF members were killed in Nineveh and Diyala; and an Iraqi source told Al Arabiya that 12 operatives were killed. The Zioneer also published analysis identifying the targeted sites as Iranian-backed militias, and images of killed Hashd al-Shaabi operatives were circulated.
The joint US-Saudi operation, as The Zioneer reported, was described as a direct response to over 30 drone attacks targeting American forces and Saudi energy infrastructure, directed by the IRGC. The strikes mark a significant escalation in the campaign against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.
The militia's casualty claim has not been independently verified. The US military has not commented on the specific numbers, and it remains unclear whether the dead and wounded are all operatives or include civilians.
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