US, Saudi jets strike Iranian-backed groups in eastern Iraq

Published Jul 29, 04:42 PM UTC

Iraq has re-emerged as a central front in the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. On Tuesday, U.S. and Saudi fighters conducted airstrikes against Iranian-backed groups in eastern Iraq, which the U.S. military blamed for recent drone attacks on American forces and Saudi energy infrastructure. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the targeted groups, directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, had carried out more than 30 attacks in the previous 72 hours. The strikes hit multiple logistics and weapons sites. This escalation follows the collapse of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire earlier this month, which has already resulted in the deaths of four U.S. troops. The article notes that U.S. troops are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq in September, and that President Trump recently decided against a major escalation due to low supplies of air defense missiles. The U.S. has battled Iranian-backed militias in Iraq for over two decades, with significant clashes during the post-Saddam insurgency and the fight against ISIS.