US-Saudi strikes test Iraq's balancing act between Riyadh and Tehran
US-Saudi strikes test Iraq's balancing act between Riyadh and Tehran Submitted by Zahra Ladha on Tue, 08/04/2026 - 10:28 The attacks complicate Baghdad’s efforts to reform security and attract foreign investment Members of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) stand guard outside the Basra Operations Command headquarters, following US-Saudi air strikes in Basra, Iraq on 29 July 2026 (Reuters)…
US-Saudi joint strikes on Iran-linked militias in Iraq have complicated Baghdad's balancing act between Riyadh and Tehran. The July 29 attacks, which killed at least 20 PMF members and four Iranian advisers, were retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities launched from Iraqi territory. Neither Riyadh nor Iraq's Iran-aligned militias appear eager for sustained military conflict.
Riyadh described the strikes as self-defense, while signaling further retaliatory actions if attacks on its soil resume. The strikes aim primarily to deter Tehran and its Iraqi allies, as opposed to opening a new front. Iraq's new PM seeks US and Saudi business deals, but the PMF's refusal to disarm, despite Baghdad's disarmament push, has hardened factional opposition to the process.
The IRI has vowed retaliation, possibly targeting Saudi Arabia if circumstances require. The deadline set by the IRI for Baghdad to respond may also influence Iraq's domestic policy.
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