US, Saudi Arabia Launch Joint Precision Strikes in Iraq Targeting 'Iran-Aligned Terrorists'

Washington: US Central Command and the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces on Tuesday executed joint precision strikes in eastern Iraq, targeting "Iran-aligned terrorist" groups that had been directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to strike American personnel and critical energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement on X, CENTCOM said that US and Saudi fighter jets targeted multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites in response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks launched within a 72-hour window.

"U.S. Central Command 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 U.S. forces and Saudi energy infrastructure. The unwarranted attacks against U.S. forces were not successful," CENTCOM said.

Highlighting a persistent security threat in the region, CENTCOM noted that "from February through April 2026, there were more than 600 attempted attacks on U.S. citizens and facilities by Iran-aligned terrorist militias in Iraq."

Warning of further escalation, CENTCOM stated that the IRGC and its proxies must halt the aggression immediately to prevent further US military action.

The retaliatory joint operation was further confirmed by Saudi Arabia.

In a statement shared on X, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, official spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defence, reported that Saudi air defences successfully intercepted and destroyed multiple drones launched from Iraqi territory that sought to target vital petroleum facilities in both the Eastern Province and the Riyadh regions.

The spokesperson added that the military action was undertaken in accordance with the "right to self-defence" under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

Major General Al-Maliki emphasised that the Saudi Armed Forces, acting in coordination with CENTCOM, conducted targeted strikes against militia objectives in Iraq linked directly to the cross-border strikes, reaffirming the Kingdom's "legitimate right to defend itself and its capabilities, while reserving the right to respond at the appropriate time and place."

The operation comes after several explosions rocked Erbil in northern Iraq early Tuesday, including near the US Consulate, as Iranian drones targeted multiple locations across the region.

Citing police sources, Al Jazeera reported that at least four Iranian drones targeted locations in northern Iraq's Khalifan and Soran areas, located northeast of Erbil.

Additionally, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, citing Iraqi sources, reported the destruction of an American drone in Al Anbar province, with local media publishing images of a US drone crash near the Haditha Dam.

The strikes were accompanied by wider military activity across northern and western Iraq. IRIB reported that the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaymaniyah was attacked.

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