US, Saudi forces strike Iran-backed 'terrorists' in Iraq: US military

US and Saudi warplanes launched strikes Tuesday against Iran-backed militants in Iraq who had recently conducted more than two dozen drone attacks, the US military announced. The strikes targeted "Iran-aligned terrorists that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directed to attack US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure," US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated.

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Iran-aligned terrorists that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directed to attack US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.

CENTCOM issued a warning: "The IRGC and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further US military response." Saudi Arabia confirmed its participation, with its defense ministry stating it hit "targets belonging to those militias present on Iraqi territory that are linked to attacks on the kingdom's oil facilities."

The strikes followed an incident where Saudi forces intercepted drones targeting oil facilities in the east, an action blamed on Iran-backed groups in Iraq. Riyadh had previously urged the Iraqi government to prevent attacks originating from its territory, prompting Baghdad to announce an investigation.

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The IRGC and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further US military response.

Earlier on Tuesday, CENTCOM reported that Iran had launched multiple ballistic missiles in an "attempted surprise attack on US forces based in the Middle East," all of which were intercepted. This escalation occurred after a period of relative calm over the weekend, which followed nearly two weeks of US strikes on Iran and repeated missile and drone attacks by Tehran targeting Washington's Gulf allies.

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targets belonging to those militias present on Iraqi territory that are linked to attacks on the kingdom's oil facilities.