The US Army and Saudi Army have launched a wave of strikes across several provinces in Iraq targeting Shiite militia headquarters, according to security commentator Hananel Aviv. The strikes were carried out in retaliation for recent attacks by the militias, in coordination with the Houthis, on Saudi energy and oil infrastructure. Footage from the strikes has been released, and several people were reportedly wounded.
The joint US-Saudi operation against Shiite militia targets in Iraq has expanded overnight, with footage of the strikes now circulating and reports indicating that several people were wounded. The strikes were carried out in retaliation for recent attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure by the militias, in coordination with the Houthis.
Initial reports of the joint airstrikes emerged at 03:25 Jerusalem, with early accounts describing strikes on pro-Iranian Popular Mobilization Forces positions. Over the following minutes, the US military confirmed the operation, CENTCOM specified that logistics sites of Iran-linked cells were targeted, and reports indicated the strikes were retaliation for more than 30 attacks ordered by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). By 04:06 Jerusalem, US and Saudi forces confirmed the strikes were ongoing across multiple locations in Iraq.
The strikes come amid an escalating campaign by Iranian-backed Iraqi militias against Saudi Arabia, as The Zioneer reported earlier this week. On Monday, Iraqi Shia militias joined Houthi forces in striking Saudi oil facilities, including the Abqaiq processing plant, marking a formalization of a northern front against the Kingdom.
The number of targets hit and the full extent of casualties remain unverified. The footage has not been independently confirmed.
8 developments
- StrongPro-Iranian channels publish footage of Houthi strike on Saudi airport
- DevelopingReports: Iranian-backed militias drone-strike US bases in northern Iraq
- DevelopingIraqi militia Awliya al-Dam claims responsibility for attacks on Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
- DevelopingHananel Aviv: Iraqi Shiite Militias Join Houthis in Striking Saudi Oil Targets
Source and signal
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