US, Saudi Strikes Hit Iraqi Sites Amid Regional Tensions

By Staff, Agencies

Several areas and military sites across Iraq came under airstrikes early Wednesday as the United States and Saudi Arabia announced joint strikes targeting what they described as Iran-aligned groups.

The strikes reportedly hit locations in Nineveh, Wasit, Basra, northern Karbala, and Kirkuk provinces, including a Popular Mobilization Forces camp in the Nineveh Plain and military headquarters in other areas.

According to US officials, US Central Command [CENTCOM] said the strikes targeted groups it accused of carrying out attacks against US forces and Saudi energy facilities, describing them as “precision strikes.” Saudi Arabia also announced that its forces, in coordination with CENTCOM, carried out “specific, qualitative strikes” against what it called pro-Iranian forces linked to attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

Meanwhile, Iran rejected accusations linking it to attacks on US or Saudi interests, with an Iranian military official warning that attributing such actions to Tehran would be a “major miscalculation.”

Iranian officials also denied involvement in any projectiles launched toward Saudi Arabia.

In response, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq rejected Saudi accusations that it targeted Saudi territory, saying the claims were aimed at justifying Riyadh’s inability to respond to Yemeni strikes against Saudi infrastructure. The group warned that any Saudi action would be met with a response.

Separately, reports emerged of explosions over Jordan amid claims that Iran had launched ballistic missiles toward a US military base. US officials alleged that the IRG was responsible, while Iran has not claimed responsibility for the reported incident.

Amid the uncertainty, analysts noted that the situation remained unclear and that the timing of the reported Jordan incident was significant, coming as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington seeking to resume aggression against Iran.