U.S. Central Command and Saudi Arabian forces conducted joint precision strikes against Iran-backed militia sites in eastern Iraq on July 28, responding to more than 30 drone attacks over the previous 72 hours that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps directed at U.S. forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.
The strikes targeted multiple logistics and weapons facilities across eastern Iraq, marking an escalation in a five-month conflict that has repeatedly cycled between attack and counterattack. According to CENTCOM, the drone attacks that preceded the strikes were unsuccessful, but the barrage underscored the intensity of Iran-aligned operations across the region.
The Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of primarily Shiite, Iran-backed armed groups officially under Iraqi military command, reported that at least 20 fighters were killed and 32 wounded in the overnight strikes. Two Iraqi militia officials told the Associated Press that six Iranian advisers also died in the operation, though it remained unclear whether they were counted in the overall casualty toll.
From February through April 2026 alone, Iran-aligned terrorist militias in Iraq launched more than 600 attempted attacks on U.S. citizens and facilities, according to CENTCOM. The July drone barrage reflects the ongoing pattern of escalation that has defined the conflict since the U.S. and Israel began striking Iranian targets in late February.
Iran Responds With Missile Strikes
Within hours of the U.S.-Saudi operation, Iran launched its own retaliatory response. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard fired ballistic missiles at Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a key U.S. military hub for the region, according to a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency.
Jordan’s military said five Iranian missiles had been intercepted and destroyed with no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The renewed hostilities sent oil markets reacting sharply, with Brent crude jumping 3.1 percent to $84.58 a barrel, reflecting concerns about further disruption to global energy supplies.
The cycle of attack and counterattack mirrors a broader pattern that has unfolded across five months of conflict. When comparable escalations have occurred earlier in 2026, each U.S. or allied strike has prompted Iranian retaliation within hours or days, often targeting multiple locations and forcing defensive responses that strain military resources and further destabilize the region.
The Iraqi government condemned the U.S.-Saudi strikes, calling them “an unacceptable attack and a blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.” The office of Iraqi President Nizar Amidi said the strikes targeted official security institutions, and the National Security Council noted that a visit to Saudi Arabia by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, scheduled for Thursday, was postponed indefinitely.
Before the latest eruption, mediators had expressed optimism about bringing the U.S. and Iran back to the negotiating table, but an interim agreement had collapsed in recent weeks over renewed fighting in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global energy supplies that Iranian actions have effectively closed to normal commerce.
Sources
- U.S. Central Command — confirmed the July 28 joint U.S.-Saudi strikes in Iraq, the 30+ drone attacks that preceded them, and casualty figures from February-April 2026
- PBS News / Associated Press — reported Iran’s missile response, Jordan’s interception of five missiles, casualty figures including six Iranian advisers killed, oil price spike, Iraqi government response, and broader five-month conflict context
- Anadolu Agency (AA.com.tr) — confirmed the joint strikes targeting logistics and weapons facilities in eastern Iraq in response to drone attacks
- Reuters — reported the 30+ drone attacks over 72 hours directed by Iran’s IRGC and the U.S.-Saudi response
