U.S., Saudi Arabia attack Iranian-backed groups in Iraq
by Darryl Coote · UPIJuly 28 (UPI) -- The United States and Saudi Arabia attacked Iran-backed proxies in Iraq on Wednesday after Saudi air defense systems intercepted days of attacks launched from Iraq against the kingdom's petroleum facilities.
U.S. Central Command said in a statement that it struck logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq, describing the joint attack as a "strong response" to the more than 30 drone strikes directed at Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure over the last 72 hours.
The joint attack was the first U.S. military operation during a five-day pause in direct strikes on Iran intended to allow diplomacy to resume. The pause followed 13 consecutive nights of CENTCOM strikes on Iran.
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry confirmed the joint strikes, describing them as "precise and targeted strikes."
The Iran-aligned, Iraq-based Popular Mobilization Forces said its Basra Operations Command came under attack at 2 a.m. local time, wounding two of its members, the Iraqi New Agency reported. It did not identify those responsible.
It said inspections of the site and damage assessments were ongoing.
It was unclear if any of the Iraq-launched drones hit their intended targets, though Saudi Arabia said several drones targeting its petroleum facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh region had been intercepted and destroyed.
According to CENTCOM, more than 600 "attempted attacks" targeting U.S. assets in the region were launched by Iranian proxies in Iraq between the start of the war in late February and the announcement of the now-collapsed cease-fire in April.
"The unwarranted attacks against U.S. forces were not successful," it said.
The United States and Iran have been at war since late February, though fighting halted under a fragile cease-fire reached in April. The cease-fire collapsed earlier this month, leading to nearly a fortnight of nightly U.S. attacks against Iran.