US and Saudi airstrikes kill 20 PMF members in Iraq

At least 20 members of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) were killed and 32 others wounded in joint United States and Saudi Arabian airstrikes across multiple Iraqi provinces in the early hours of Wednesday, July 29, 2026. The coordinated military operation marks a significant escalation in regional tensions and represents the first publicly acknowledged Saudi military action inside Iraq since the outbreak of broader regional hostilities in late February.

The strikes targeted PMF facilities in the provinces of Baghdad, Wasit, Nineveh, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala, and Diyala. According to the PMF, an umbrella group of mostly Iran-backed factions that is formally part of Iraq's security forces, the attacks caused extensive damage to buildings, military vehicles, and equipment. The group described the operation as a dangerous escalation and a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, noting that casualty figures were preliminary as assessment teams continued their work.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that American and Saudi aircraft conducted precision strikes against terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq. Officials said the action was in response to more than 30...