Saudi Arabia allegedly struck pro-Iranian militias in Iraq

Security and diplomatic sources speaking to Reuters have alleged that Saudi Arabia used fighter jets to strike Iranian-backed Shiite militia targets in Iraq during the Iran conflict. The report claims that retaliatory strikes were also launched against militia positions via Kuwait, noting that tensions between Gulf nations and Iranian-backed groups grew covertly throughout the war.

According to information obtained from security and diplomatic circles, Saudi Arabian fighter jets carried out attacks on certain locations held by Iranian-backed Shiite militias within Iraq. It is alleged that a significant portion of these operations took place in regions near the country's northern borders, while some retaliatory strikes were reportedly directed at militia elements from within Kuwait.

These attacks are considered to represent another dimension of the large-scale conflict that began between the US and Iran—one that remained in the shadows but threatened the balance of power in the region.

Iraqi security forces and Western diplomatic sources claimed that the targeted locations were bases where attacks against Gulf countries were being planned using missiles and drones. It was alleged that bases belonging to militias known for their proximity to Iran, located in the southern regions of Iraq, sustained significant damage in the airstrikes. Some of the operations are said to have taken place during the US-Iran ceasefire in April.

Claims have also surfaced that militia positions in Iraq were targeted at least twice with short-range rockets from Kuwaiti territory. In these attacks, a communications and drone center belonging to the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah was reportedly hit, and it is claimed that numerous militia members lost their lives. However, it remains unclear whether the rockets launched from Kuwait belonged to the Kuwaiti military or to US troops stationed in the country.

"INTENSE ATTACKS BY PRO-IRANIAN MILITIAS ON SAUDI ARABIA AND KUWAIT"

As the conflict escalated, it was alleged that militia groups supported by Iran also carried out hundreds of drone attacks against Gulf countries, primarily Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Throughout the war, these militias were observed making announcements regarding attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and Kuwait via various social media channels, including Telegram. Despite this, it is emphasized that these attacks could not be verified by independent sources.

According to the sources, the increase in attacks originating from Iraqi soil has hardened the resolve of Gulf nations. It was reported that Kuwait summoned its Ambassador to Baghdad to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs three times to protest potential cross-border violations, and that the Saudi administration similarly warned the Iraqi Ambassador on April 12.

Considering the geopolitical balances of the region, the security concerns of Gulf countries are not new. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and the attacks it carried out against Saudi Arabia formed the basis of the crisis of confidence. The rise of Shiite groups to power in Iraq following the 2003 US invasion further intensified regional competition.

''GULF COUNTRIES CONVEYED THEIR DIPLOMATIC WARNINGS TO THE BAGHDAD ADMINISTRATION IN MARCH''

In recent times, Gulf countries have demanded an end to attacks from pro-Iranian militias, and in March, they conveyed their official diplomatic warnings to the Baghdad administration.

One Iraqi security official stated that the militias were conducting surveillance flights with drones in border areas for reconnaissance purposes. He commented, "They are examining what has been hit and what is still operational. They are preparing for a new attack."