TAMPA, Florida: At least 10 members of Iran-backed militias were killed in coordinated US-Saudi airstrikes on their bases in Iraq, according to two Iraqi security sources.
The United States (US) and Saudi Arabia said they carried out coordinated air strikes against Iran-backed militia targets in Iraq, following a series of drone attacks on American forces and Saudi energy infrastructure that Washington blamed on groups directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
One security official said the strikes targeted militia positions across several Iraqi provinces, with the deadliest attack taking place in Nineveh province, where at least 10 fighters were killed.
The official added that the death toll was expected to rise as rescue and damage assessment operations continued.
The second official confirmed the initial casualty figure, while adding that several other militia members were injured in strikes carried out in other provinces.
In a statement on Wednesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American and Saudi armed forces conducted precision strikes on July 28 against multiple logistics and weapons facilities used by Iran-aligned fighters in eastern Iraq.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 29, 2026
According to CENTCOM, the operation was launched in response to more than 30 drone attacks over the past 72 hours, which it said were orchestrated by the IRGC and aimed at US military personnel and Saudi Arabia’s critical energy infrastructure.
The command said US and Saudi fighter aircraft struck several militia sites believed to support the planning and execution of the attacks. It added that the recent drone assaults against US forces were unsuccessful.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence confirmed its participation in the operation, saying the strikes were carried out in coordination with CENTCOM after Saudi air defence systems intercepted drones targeting petroleum facilities in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province and the Riyadh region.
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
Military spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki said the intercepted drones had been launched from Iraqi territory by Iran-aligned militias.
He referred to earlier ministry statements issued on Monday and Tuesday detailing the attempted attacks on Saudi energy installations.
CENTCOM also highlighted a sustained campaign by Iran-backed militias against American interests in Iraq, stating that more than 600 attempted attacks on US citizens and facilities had been recorded between February and April 2026.
The command warned that the IRGC and its allied militias must halt attacks on US personnel and regional partners or face additional military action. There has been no immediate response from Iran or the militias accused of carrying out the drone attacks.
Amid growing US pressure, Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who came to power this year, 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 United States and Iran.
