US-Saudi strikes in Iraq hit Iran-aligned groups after drone attacks
The US and Saudi Arabia struck groups in Iraq after drone attacks on US forces and Saudi oil sites, with Iraqi forces reporting at least 20 dead.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
US-Saudi strikes in Iraq targeted groups described as Iran-aligned after drone attacks aimed at US forces in the region and Saudi oil facilities, Al Jazeera reported Wednesday. The operation matters because it paired Washington and Riyadh in direct military action inside Iraq.
Saudi Arabia said it acted in self-defence, according to Al Jazeera. Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces reported that at least 20 people were killed in the strikes, the broadcaster said.
Why did the US and Saudi Arabia strike Iraq?
Al Jazeera reported that the strikes followed drone attacks targeting US forces in the region and Saudi oil facilities. The targets were groups the broadcaster described as aligned with Iran.
The report did not give further details on the drone attacks, including where they were launched from or which specific US positions were targeted. It also did not identify the Iraqi locations hit in the joint air operation.
Saudi Arabia framed its role as defensive, saying it acted in self-defence, Al Jazeera reported. The reported Saudi participation is notable because the targets were inside Iraq, where attacks involving armed factions tied by Al Jazeera to Iran have raised the risk of wider regional confrontation.
What is known about the casualties?
Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces said at least 20 people were killed, according to Al Jazeera. The report attributed that toll to the PMF and did not include a separate casualty count from US, Saudi or Iraqi government officials.
The Popular Mobilisation Forces were the only named Iraqi side cited in the casualty report. Al Jazeera did not report the identities of those killed or say whether any civilians were among them.
What happens next?
The strikes add another flashpoint to tensions involving the United States, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and groups described by Al Jazeera as Iran-aligned. The immediate trigger cited in the report was the drone threat to US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.
Al Jazeera published the report on July 29, 2026. The account left several key questions unanswered, including the scale of the operation, the precise targets and whether there would be further military action.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.