DUBAI — The United States and Saudi Arabia launched attacks on Iranian-backed organizations in Iraq on Wednesday, holding them responsible for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday that it had attacked and halted three oil tankers in the strait after its forces ignored warnings for taking “dangerous and illegal routes.”
The Revolutionary Guards Navy said in a statement that it continues to maintain complete control of the strategic waterway, warning that “unlawful US military interference” and instructions to ships in the area will not go unheeded.
The U.S. and Saudi airstrikes in eastern Iraq came just hours after the U.S. military said its air defenses had averted a surprise Iranian attack on U.S. forces in the region. The Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday that it had fired several ballistic missiles at U.S. military facilities in Jordan.
A flurry of attacks in recent days brought a pause in fighting after US President Donald Trump abruptly called off a two-week bombing campaign and Iran appeared to be following suit.
Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that its air defense forces had destroyed several drones that targeted oil facilities in the country’s Eastern Province.
Saudi Defense Ministry spokesman Turki al-Maliki said Iranian-backed militias launched the attack from Iraqi territory.
Later that day, U.S. Central Command and the Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that Iran had struck multiple locations across eastern Iraq that both countries allegedly used to direct drone strikes. The Saudi Defense Ministry said it was not calling for escalation but would respond to any “aggression.”
Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said on Wednesday that eight of its members were killed, four others were injured, and numerous buildings and facilities were damaged in joint Saudi-US attacks on offices across Iraq.
The PMF said in a statement that the attack was a “very dangerous escalation” and a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and public security institutions.
In an interview on Iranian state television, Iranian defense officials strongly denied any link to projectiles launched from other countries toward targets in Saudi Arabia.
The unnamed military official, quoted by state broadcaster IRIB, said it was a “huge miscalculation” to attribute attacks on US interests in the region to Iran.
Iraq’s Islamic Resistance Movement, an umbrella organization for Iranian-backed militant groups, also denied involvement in the attack.
U.S. Central Command also announced Tuesday that Iran had launched multiple ballistic missiles “in an attempt to launch a surprise attack on U.S. forces based in the Middle East” and successfully intercepted the missiles.
“As long as the threat to the Islamic Republic of Iran continues and as long as the U.S. military continues to engage in illegal and malicious acts against our interests, our resistance will continue,” the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday, days after ordering Iraqi security services to investigate drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.
“Iraq is committed to preventing Iraqi territory from being used as a route or launching point for any attacks targeting brother or friendly countries,” the Iraqi military said in a statement.
The renewed hostility comes a day after US President Donald Trump spoke of “very friendly negotiations” with Iran. At this point, the two have not exchanged blows for three consecutive days.
The suspension of fighting followed 13 consecutive nights of bombing by the United States, which announced the destruction of tunnels and bridges in southern Iran. Many people are reported to have died in the strike.
Access and control of the Strait of Hormuz remains a major sticking point in negotiations, but Tehran denies it is even happening.
Oil prices rose early Wednesday on concerns that an escalation in the conflict could further disrupt energy shipments through the strait.
In Asian morning trading, global benchmark Brent crude rose 4.3% to $87.70 (65.98 pounds) a barrel, while crude traded in the United States rose 4.2% to $82.62.
The attack coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, where he met with President Trump at the White House and attended the funeral of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a prominent Iran hawk.
At least 624 U.S. military personnel have been injured since President Trump ordered strikes against Iran in February, according to recent Pentagon data.
The Pentagon announced that 417 of them were injured in connection with Operation Epic Fury, a joint U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran.
