Iran on Wednesday condemned the United States-Saudi Arabia strikes on seven areas in Iraq, calling the attacks “clear aggression against the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.”
According to Al Jazeera, citing the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Tehran termed the attacks “a gross violation” of international law and said they were “in line with the aspirations of the United States and the Zionist regime to expand the scope of war.”
“While expressing condolences for the martyrdom of a group of honourable Iraqi people during these aggressive attacks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasises the full support and solidarity of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the government and people of Iraq, and holds the warmongering US regime and its accomplices in the region responsible for the dangerous consequences of these criminal, inhumane, and provocative actions,” the statement added, as per Al Jazeera.
The statement followed that by Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) which noted that at least 20 of its members were killed and 32 others wounded in overnight US-Saudi airstrikes targeting the group’s headquarters in several provinces across the country.
The attacks were the first US airstrikes in the Middle East since President Donald Trump suspended the US bombing campaign against Iran last week. It was also the first time during the war that Saudi Arabia had publicly declared its participation in joint strikes alongside the US.
The joint strikes potentially widen the conflict by drawing Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia into combat against Shi’ite proxies of Iran on a new front.
Read: Trump says US-Saudi nuclear deal conditional on country joining Abraham Accords
In a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the PMF said the strikes hit its facilities in the provinces of Baghdad, Wasit, Nineveh, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala and Diyala, causing extensive damage to its headquarters, military vehicles and equipment.
It said specialised committees are continuing field assessments to determine the full extent of the damage.
“These attacks resulted in the martyrdom of a number of personnel and injuries to others, as well as material damage to several buildings and properties,” said the PMF, known as the Hashed al-Shaabi in Arabic, in a statement.
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said US and Saudi forces carried out joint precision strikes against Iranian-aligned groups in Iraq, claiming the operation targeted sites linked to attacks on US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.
According to CENTCOM, US and Saudi fighter jets struck multiple logistics and weapons facilities in eastern Iraq in response to more than 30 drone attacks allegedly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) over the previous 72 hours.
https://t.co/4gooax78lx
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 29, 2026
The PMF, a predominantly Iranian-backed coalition of Shiite armed groups, said several of its headquarters were hit in the strikes, resulting in deaths, injuries and property damage.
The PMF is an alliance of paramilitaries and factions created in 2014 to fight jihadists, and is now integrated into the Iraqi armed forces. Iran-backed groups have brigades that operate within the alliance, but many of these groups have a reputation for acting on their own.
In a statement on Wednesday, the PMF described the US-Saudi strikes as a “dangerous escalation, a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, and an attack on its official security institutions”.
After the strikes, Iraqi men shouted Shi’ite sectarian slogans and “Death to America!” as they carried the bodies of slain fighters in body bags out of a hospital in Mosul in northern Iraq, footage from Iraq’s Al-Ahad television showed.
Washington has long called on the Baghdad government to crack down on Iran-backed paramilitaries, but efforts to do so in the past have provoked domestic unrest.
The deep ties between Iran and Iraq, the two biggest Shi’ite-majority countries, have been on display this week as hundreds of thousands of Iranian religious pilgrims visit shrines in Iraq for an annual holiday, crossing the border over land. Some carried portraits of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, revered as a high-ranking cleric in both countries.
The US-Saudi strikes came after Riyadh said its forces had intercepted drones targeting oil facilities in the east, blaming Iran-backed groups in Iraq. But these groups described Saudi Arabia’s accusations as “fabrications”, and warned it against attacking Iraq.
Tehran denies involvement
Earlier, an Iranian military official denied Tehran’s involvement in projectiles launched from Iraq toward Saudi Arabia, rejecting accusations that Iran was behind recent attacks on the kingdom.
The official told Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB that attributing attacks against US interests in the region to Iran was “a grave mistake stemming from ignorance of the situation in the region.”
The official also “strongly denied any connection between projectiles fired from other countries toward targets in Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
PMF warns ‘units remain on full alert’
According to Al Jazeera, the PMF denounced the US-Saudi attacks and warned that “units remain on full alert.”
Citing a statement on Telegram by the PMF, Al Jazeera reported that the group condemned “the treacherous terrorist attack launched by Saudi Arabia and the United States, which targeted a number of Popular Mobilisation Forces headquarters and infrastructure.”
The PMF added that the attacks represented a “highly dangerous escalation,” Al Jazeera reported.
The most active pro-Iran armed groups are united under an alliance known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has interfered in support of Tehran during the Middle East war, claiming hundreds of attacks against US bases in Iraq and across the region. But they have not claimed any attacks since hostilities between the US and Iran resumed earlier this month.
Washington and Tehran are Iraq’s main allies, but their enmity has long turned the country into a proxy battleground and left successive governments struggling to maintain a delicate balance between the foes.
Amid growing US pressure, Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who came to power this year with Washington’s blessing, vowed to ensure pro-Iran armed groups would hand over their weapons, but has faced pushback from some powerful factions.
Earlier this month, Zaidi visited both the US and Iran.
Iraqi premier orders emergency security meeting after strikes
Al-Zaidi ordered an emergency meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security following the Saudi-US airstrikes, the Security Media Cell said.
In a statement, the Security Media Cell said al-Zaidi, who also serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, instructed the council to convene urgently in response to “security developments and the aerial bombardment the country was subjected to at dawn today.”
وجَّه رئيس مجلس الوزراء القائد العام للقوات المسلحة السيد علي فالح الزيدي بعقد اجتماع طارئ للمجلس الوزاري للأمن الوطني اليوم الأربعاء، بناءً على تطورات الموقف الأمني والقصف الجوي الذي تعرضت له البلاد فجر اليوم.
وسيصدر عقب هذا الاجتماع بيان تفصيلي عن مجريات الأحداث والقرارات…
— خلية الإعلام الأمني🇮🇶 (@SecMedCell) July 29, 2026
It said a detailed statement outlining the developments and decisions taken during the meeting would be issued afterward.
Iraqi president condemns strikes
Iraq’s President Nizar Amedi condemned the US-Saudi strikes on the PMF forces, terming them “unacceptable” and a “blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, targeting its official security institutions in contravention of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.”
According to Al Jazeera, Amedi reiterated in a statement that Iraq’s territory must not be used as “a launching pad or arena for attacks on neighbouring countries or for settling regional and international scores.”
He urged “all parties to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and refrain from any actions that could undermine its security and stability,” Al Jazeera reported.
Riyadh warns of further strikes
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further military action if Iran-backed groups launched new attacks against the kingdom.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the strikes, conducted by the Saudi Armed Forces in coordination with the US CENTCOM, targeted “specific” sites in Iraq linked to attacks on the kingdom’s oil facilities.
The ministry said the operation was carried out under the right of self-defence guaranteed by international law in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
#Statement | Further to the two statements issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, July 27, 2026, and Tuesday, July 28, 2026, concerning the reprehensible drone attacks carried out against the Kingdom by Iran-backed militias in Iraq, and reaffirming the Kingdom’s… pic.twitter.com/P8011Gr2oC
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) July 29, 2026
It accused Iranian-backed groups in Iraq of adopting “an irresponsible escalatory approach” despite Saudi efforts to help reduce regional tensions and preserve regional security and stability.
The ministry said the groups had violated international law and ignored the principles of good neighbourliness and Islamic brotherhood.
While reiterating that the kingdom does not seek escalation, the ministry warned that if further attacks occur, Saudi Arabia “will not hesitate to take all necessary measures to preserve the Kingdom’s sovereignty and protect its citizens and assets.”
In a separate statement, the Defence Ministry said the joint operation with the US was launched in response to attacks originating from Iraqi territory against Saudi petroleum facilities.
صرح المتحدث الرسمي باسم وزارة الدفاع اللواء الركن تركي المالكي أنه إلحاقاً للبيانين الصادرين من وزارة الدفاع يومي الاثنين (١٣ صفر ١٤٤٨هـ) والثلاثاء ( ١٤ صفر ١٤٤٨هـ) الموافقين ( ٢٧- ٢٨ يوليو ٢٠٢٦م) من أن الدفاعات الجوية اعترضت ودمرت عدداً من المسيّرات التي حاولت استهداف منشآت… pic.twitter.com/0Pei5KwSkQ
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) July 29, 2026
Citing Article 51 of the UN Charter, the ministry said Saudi Arabia and the US carried out “precise and targeted strikes” against sites in Iraq linked to the attacks on the kingdom’s energy infrastructure.
“The Kingdom emphasises that it does not seek escalation but will respond to any aggression it faces,” the ministry added.
GCC condemns attacks on Riyadh by ‘Iran-aligned militias in Iraq’
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi condemned the “continued terrorist attacks” on Saudi Arabia by “Iran-aligned militias in Iraq.”
In a statement, AlBudaiwi noted, “these hostile acts represent a dangerous escalation, a flagrant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty, and a direct threat to its security and stability, as well as to regional peace and security.”
He also “underscored that the GCC states stand as one alongside the Kingdom, fully supporting all measures it takes to protect its security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
AlBudaiwi stressed, “The continuation of these terrorist assaults constitutes a direct threat to regional peace and security, undermining international efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions and consolidating security and stability.”
معالي الأمين العام لمجلس التعاون @jasemalbudaiwi ، يؤكد تضامن دول المجلس الكامل مع المملكة العربية السعودية، ويستنكر بأشد العبارات استمرار الاعتداءات الإرهابية على المملكة من الميليشيات الموالية لإيران في العراق.
https://t.co/vJtUpBomcN#مجلس_التعاون#المملكة_العربية_السعودية pic.twitter.com/U0nr9Sqjec
— مجلس التعاون (@GCCSG) July 29, 2026
Kuwait denounces attacks, reaffirms solidarity with Saudi Arabia
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry strongly denounced “the continued attacks by Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq against the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The attacks, according to the statement issued by the ministry in a post on X, reflected “the determination of those militias to persist in escalation and undermine the security and stability of the region.”
“The latest such incident was the brazen aggression involving the launch of drones in a desperate attempt to target petroleum facilities in the Eastern Province, constituting a flagrant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a threat to its security and the safety of its territories,” the statement added. It noted that “this comes at a time when the Kingdom is exerting sincere efforts to contribute to ending the escalation in the region.”
بيان صادر عن وزارة الخارجية
الأربعاء 29 يوليو 2026
تُعرب وزارة الخارجية عن إدانة دولة الكويت واستنكارها الشديدين لاستمرار تعرّض المملكة العربية السعودية الشقيقة لاعتداءات الميليشيات التابعة لإيران في العراق، بما يعكس إصرار تلك الميليشيات على مواصلة التصعيد وزعزعة أمن واستقرار… pic.twitter.com/Wggcndx07A
— وزارة الخارجية (@MOFAKuwait) July 29, 2026
The ministry reaffirmed Kuwait’s “absolute solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its standing by its side, and its support for all measures it takes to protect its security, sovereignty, interests, and capabilities, including its inherent right to self-defence.”
“It affirms that the security of the Kingdom is an indivisible part of the security of the State of Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council states,” the statement concluded.
In an earlier post by the ministry on X, it noted that Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah held a telephonic conversation with the Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud.
According to the ministry, the officials “discussed the latest regional developments, diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing security and stability in the region, and ensuring the safety and freedom of maritime navigation.”
أجرى معالي الشيخ جراح جابر الأحمد الصباح، وزير الخارجية، اتصالاً هاتفياً بسمو الأمير فيصل بن فرحان بن عبدالله آل سعود، وزير خارجية المملكة العربية السعودية الشقيقة، حيث جرى خلال الاتصال بحث آخر التطورات الإقليمية، والجهود الدبلوماسية الرامية إلى تعزيز الأمن والاستقرار في المنطقة،… pic.twitter.com/QR3QAmdbK0
— وزارة الخارجية (@MOFAKuwait) July 29, 2026
Bahrain condemns ‘repeated terrorist attempts’
Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry also condemned what it termed “repeated terrorist attempts” to target petroleum facilities in Saudi Arabia “with drones launched once again from Iraq.”
مملكة البحرين تُدين بشدة تكرار المحاولات الإرهابية لاستهداف المنشآت البترولية في المملكة العربية السعودية بطائرات مسيّرة انطلقت مجددًا من العراقhttps://t.co/eHiMqjxqYb pic.twitter.com/RM80zCuvsS
— وزارة الخارجية 🇧🇭 (@bahdiplomatic) July 29, 2026
In a statement, the ministry described the attacks as “dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and stability, constitutes a flagrant violation of the principles of good-neighbourliness and international law, defies United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, and undermines ongoing efforts to reduce tensions in the region.”
It reaffirmed its solidarity with Riyadh “and its unwavering support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and stability, including its right to respond to the sources of aggression and deter those responsible, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and the GCC Joint Defence Agreement.”
The ministry also affirmed its support for any response deemed appropriate by Saudi Arabia.
Qatar affirms solidarity with Saudi Arabia
Qatar denounced the attacks “that attempted to target oil facilities in the Eastern Region of the sister Arab Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with drones launched from Iraqi territory.”
بيان | قطر تدين بشدة محاولات استهداف منشآت بترولية سعودية بطائرات مسيرة قادمة من الأراضي العراقية
الدوحة | 29 يوليو 2026
تدين دولة قطر بشدة الاعتداءات التي حاولت استهداف منشآت بترولية بالمنطقة الشرقية في المملكة العربية السعودية الشقيقة، بطائرات مسيرة قادمة من الأراضي العراقية،… pic.twitter.com/8XMojqKhLV
— الخارجية القطرية (@MofaQatar_AR) July 29, 2026
According to a statement posted by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry on X, the state considered the attacks on Riyadh “a blatant violation of Saudi sovereignty and a threat to its security, stability, and the safety of its lands, as well as a flagrant breach of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the principles of good neighbourliness.”
Further, it affirmed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and “its support for all legitimate measures it takes to preserve its sovereignty, security, and the safety of its lands.”
Attacks by Iran militias on Saudi aim to destabilise regional security: Yemen
Yemen’s Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest terms the continuation of the terrorist attacks by the Iranian regime’s militias on Saudi facilities,” it said in a post on X.
#بيان | #اليمن يدين بأشد العبارات استمرار الاعتداءات الارهابية لمليشيات النظام الايراني على المنشآت #السعودية 🇸🇦🇾🇪https://t.co/362OP4rhMR pic.twitter.com/DXz06DOdzE
— وزارة خارجية الجمهورية اليمنية (@yemen_mofa) July 28, 2026
It added in its statement that the attacks represented “an extension of the Iranian project aimed at destabilising the security and stability of the region, and reflect the same destructive approach adopted by the terrorist Houthi militia in Yemen by targeting civilian and economic facilities.”Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express TribuneAFPRead More