US and Saudi Arabia launch joint airstrikes in Iraq

A fragile pause in hostilities across the Middle East collapsed on July 29, 2026, as the United States and Saudi Arabia launched joint airstrikes against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, marking a significant escalation in a conflict that began in late February. The coordinated military action, followed by Iranian missile attacks and a maritime confrontation, has reignited fears of a wider regional war and sent global oil prices sharply higher.

The joint operation, confirmed by U.S. Central Command, targeted what officials described as logistics hubs and weapons storage sites used by militias aligned with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Washington stated the strikes were a direct response to more than 30 drone attacks on Saudi Arabian energy infrastructure over the preceding 72 hours. Saudi Arabia, which had previously emphasized diplomacy, said it was exercising its right to defend national assets. This operation represents the first publicly acknowledged joint U.S.-Saudi military action against pro-Iranian groups in Iraq since the wider conflict began.

The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Shiite militias integrated into the country’s security forces,...