U.S., Saudi Jets Strike Iran-Backed Militants in Iraq
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- U.S. and Saudi fighter planes struck logistics and weapons sites in eastern Iraq on July 29, 2026, targeting "Iran-aligned terrorists" in retaliation for recent attacks
- Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry said the Iran-linked militias were responsible for attacks on the kingdom's oil facilities, framing the strikes as defensive
- The retaliatory strikes followed a short pause in Iran war hostilities, marking a resumption of joint U.S.-Saudi military operations against Iran-backed groups
- Iran rejected Oman's proposal for regional joint management of the Strait of Hormuz on the same day, with a senior Iranian official calling the plan one with "no chance of success"
- Iran insisted it and Oman must manage the strait between them based on their respective areas of control, explicitly excluding other powers from involvement
Why it matters: The joint U.S.-Saudi strikes extend direct military action against Iran-backed groups into Iraqi territory following a brief pause, with Riyadh publicly attributing militia attacks on its oil facilities to Tehran's proxies. Iran's simultaneous rejection of Oman's multilateral Hormuz proposal underscores Tehran's preference for bilateral control over this critical global shipping lane, narrowing diplomatic off-ramps.
