Saudi Arabia Launches First Airstrikes in Iraq Alongside U.S. Targeting Iran Backed Armed Groups.

The United States and Saudi Arabia launched coordinated airstrikes against multiple sites in eastern Iraq on July 28, targeting facilities linked to Iran-aligned armed groups, according to the Saudi Ministry of Defense. The operation marks a significant expansion of Saudi Arabia's direct military involvement in Iraq and underscores growing U.S. and Gulf efforts to deter attacks on critical energy infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia said the strikes were carried out in response to drone attacks targeting oil facilities in the Kingdom's Eastern Province and the Riyadh region. U.S. and Saudi combat aircraft reportedly struck several facilities associated with armed groups that Riyadh says receive Iranian backing. The operation places Saudi forces directly inside an Iraqi battlespace already shaped by the long-running confrontation between Washington and Tehran, increasing concerns over a broader regional escalation.

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A Royal Saudi Air Force K-3 Tanker and Royal Saudi Air Force F-15C Eagles fly in formation with U.S. Air Force F-15Cs in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, June 2, 2019 (Picture source: US DoD)

The operation ended a brief pause in fighting between the United States and Iran. Washington had suspended strikes against Iranian military infrastructure on July 24 to preserve an opportunity for negotiations. Missile launches against US positions in Jordan and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz quickly narrowed that opening. Until then, Saudi Arabia had maintained a primarily defensive posture, intercepting missiles and drones while refraining from striking Iran. It had nevertheless resumed separate operations against Houthi positions near Hodeidah several days before the action in Iraq.

In its July 28 statement, US Central Command said that more than 30 drone attacks had targeted American forces and Saudi infrastructure over the previous 72 hours. CENTCOM attributed their direction to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and stated that none of the attacks against US forces achieved its intended effect. Iraqi groups dispute this account. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq denies any involvement in attacks against Saudi Arabia, while the Popular Mobilization Forces say that several of their sites were struck and report casualties.

Saudi territory had already been exposed to attacks. In March, debris from intercepted drones fell on the Ras Tanura refinery and caused a limited fire, with no casualties or disruption to supplies, according to Saudi authorities. More recently, drones were reported near oil facilities in the Eastern Province and the Riyadh region. The Houthis separately claimed attacks against Aramco sites in Jizan and Yanbu. Riyadh attributes the Iraqi launch axis to groups linked to Iran. Tehran denies directing projectiles launched from other states, while Iraqi groups point to a Yemeni origin. The chain of command remains disputed.

Although the aircraft involved remain unidentified, CENTCOM’s reference to “fighter aircraft” narrows the range of possible Saudi platforms. Open-source inventories place the Royal Saudi Air Force fleet at approximately 210 F-15s across the F-15C/D, F-15S and F-15SA variants, together with 72 Eurofighter Typhoons and around 80 Tornado IDS strike aircraft, although the number immediately available for operations is not public. The F-15S and F-15SA are the most relevant candidates for a long-range ground-attack mission. The F-15SA combines an active electronically scanned array radar, digital flight controls, an integrated electronic warfare suite and the ability to deliver precision-guided air-to-ground weapons. The Typhoon provides another multirole option, with AMRAAM and ASRAAM for air combat and Paveway IV for precision strikes.

On the US side, official imagery confirms that F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons were operating in the CENTCOM area shortly before the attack. The F-15E is configured for long-range interdiction and can carry a larger air-to-ground payload, whereas the F-16 offers a lighter multirole strike option. F-35C aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 were also documented aboard USS Abraham Lincoln in the US Fifth Fleet area in June, but no public information confirms that the carrier or its aircraft participated in the July 28 operation. Neither the number of US aircraft available nor the composition of the strike package has been disclosed.

After largely focusing on the defense of its airspace and energy infrastructure, while conducting separate operations against the Houthis in Yemen, Saudi Arabia took part in strikes on Iraqi territory against sites presented as connected to drone attacks. The Kingdom therefore demonstrated that it may seek to disrupt the support chain associated with a threat before the weapons are launched or enter Saudi airspace. A single operation is insufficient to establish a new doctrine, but it creates a precedent under which attributing an attack to a foreign-based group may trigger a Saudi military response beyond the Kingdom’s borders.

This precedent places Iraq in a difficult position. The Popular Mobilization Forces are part of Iraq’s security institutions, but some of their components retain separate command structures and external relationships. If Baghdad cannot prevent its territory from being used for attacks against neighboring states, sites associated with these groups may increasingly be treated as military targets by other regional powers.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.