A US official told the New York Times that approximately 20 Iranian military advisors were killed during overnight joint US-Saudi airstrikes in Iraq. The official said the sites were chosen specifically for the presence of Iranian advisors, aiming to degrade the militias' ability to launch missiles and drones.
A US official told the New York Times at 21:10 Jerusalem that the joint US-Saudi airstrikes in Iraq were specifically aimed at degrading the pro-Iranian militias' ability to launch missiles and drones. The official also stated that approximately 20 Iranian military advisors were killed in the operation, providing the first direct attribution of the strikes' strategic purpose.
The official's account follows a sequence of reports that began with an unverified claim of a command post attack in Basra province at 05:51 Jerusalem. Within hours, Hashd al-Shaabi confirmed its headquarters in Basra had been struck, and later acknowledged at least 20 of its operatives killed and 32 wounded across seven provinces. The militia's initial casualty figure did not specify the number of Iranian advisors. The US official's estimate of approximately 20 Iranian military advisors killed aligns with the PMF's overall death toll, indicating that the strikes may have killed a significant number of Iranian personnel.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the US and Saudi airstrikes targeted logistics and weapons storage sites used by Iranian-backed terror organizations across eastern Iraq, in response to a wave of drone attacks directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The operation marks a significant escalation in regional cooperation against Iranian proxies, with Saudi Arabia participating directly in the strikes.
It remains unclear how many of the PMF casualties were Iraqi nationals versus Iranian advisors, and whether the full extent of Iranian fatalities has been accounted for. The PMF has issued threats of retaliation against Saudi Arabia, but no such action has been reported.
6 developments
- StrongIranian media: 4 IRGC members killed in US strike on Khuzestan military facility
- DevelopingIranian channel claims US attacked IRGC fast boats, killing fighters
- StrongOvernight: IRGC operatives' bodies wrapped in Iranian flag after Iraq strikes; photo suggests higher toll
- Developing2 IRGC members killed clearing unexploded ordnance from US strikes, report says
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