HighLights
  1. US, Saudi forces struck Iran-backed militias in Iraq.
  2. Action followed Iranian missile barrage on American forces.
  3. Saudi Arabia joined to protect its vital infrastructure.

In a fresh provocation in the Middle East, the US military knocked down an Iranian missile barrage and worked with Saudi Arabia’s forces to strike sites in Iraq that Tehran-backed militias have used to launch attacks in recent days, shattering a brief pause in fighting.

All Iranian missiles launched against American forces in the Middle East were intercepted on Tuesday (local time), US Central Command said, adding that they “remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness.”

In announcing the strikes in Iraq, the US warned that further attacks on American troops or Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure risked additional action.

Brief pause

The United States and Iran had experienced a period of calm, during which neither announced attacks for days following weeks of escalation over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway and narrow chokepoint through which 20 per cent of the world’s traded oil normally flows.

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Trump has repeatedly retreated from threats to knock out bridges, power plants and other infrastructure, but he told Fox News Channel earlier Tuesday that Iran knows he’ll “finish the job” if its leaders don’t make a deal to end the war.

Saudi Arabia and US strike Iran-backed militias in Iraq

Iran launched its ballistic missile attack before American and Saudi forces carried out strikes in Iraq, according to a US official, who stressed that the two attacks were not connected. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military operations.

“US and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” US Central Command said, using an acronym for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

It said the Revolutionary Guard “and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further US military response.”

Why does Saudi Arabia join the US in latest attacks?

Saudi Arabia joined the United States in the joint military strikes to retaliate against ongoing drone and missile attacks targeting its vital petroleum and civilian infrastructure. The Saudi Defence Ministry acknowledged the strikes in a post on social media, warning that “the Kingdom emphasises that it does not seek escalation but will respond to any aggression it faces.”

Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that it shot down drones fired by Iran-backed militias in Iraq for a second day, while Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed to have forced a Saudi oil tanker to turn around as part of their self-styled blockade of the kingdom.

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The kingdom’s Defence Ministry said air defences intercepted and destroyed several drones that had tried to target petroleum facilities in the nation’s eastern region.

Iraqi PM to investigate attacks

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered security agencies to investigate after the Saudis alleged a similar attack on Monday. The Iraqi military said the country is committed to “preventing Iraqi territory from being used as a route or launching point for any attack targeting brotherly or friendly countries.”

The Iraqi militias have denied any role in the drone attacks. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed groups, called the Saudi claims “fabrications” and implied that Monday’s attacks were carried out by the Houthis, who had themselves claimed to have attacked Saudi oil facilities.

(With inputs from PTI via AP)

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