War flares as US, Saudi forces strike Iran-backed militias in Iraq
WASHINGTON
Children play around an unexploded missile that landed in an open field on the outskirts of Qamishli, eastern Syria, on March 5, 2026.(AFP photo)
U.S. and Saudi fighter jets struck weapons and logistics sites used by Iran-backed militias in eastern Iraq following a wave of drone attacks on American forces and Saudi oil facilities, military officials said on July 29.
U.S. Central Command said the coordinated operation was carried out in response to more than 30 drone attacks over the previous 72 hours that it attributed to groups directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It said the attacks targeting U.S. forces were unsuccessful.
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said the targets were linked to militias it blamed for recent drone attacks on petroleum facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province and around Riyadh.
It said the strikes were conducted in coordination with CENTCOM under Saudi Arabia’s right to self-defense.
No immediate casualty figures were released.
The operation followed Iran’s launch of ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in the Middle East late Tuesday. CENTCOM said all the missiles were intercepted, ending a days-long pause in direct U.S.-Iran attacks intended to allow time for renewed negotiations.
Oil prices rose sharply following the escalation. Brent crude gained 3.9 percent to $87.39 a barrel in early Asian trading, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate climbed 3.8 percent to $82.31.
The renewed fighting coincided with President Donald Trump’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, their first face-to-face talks since the war began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.
The closed-door meeting lasted about 90 minutes and was described by the White House as “positive and productive.”
Trump said the pair had held a “very good meeting,” while Netanyahu later called it “one of the best conversations” he had held with the U.S. president.
Netanyahu said the talks focused on their shared aim of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The leaders had also been expected to discuss a U.S.-backed agreement between Israel and Lebanon and stalled efforts to begin Gaza’s reconstruction, though neither side disclosed whether those issues were addressed.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards separately said they had struck and stopped three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after the vessels ignored warnings and used what Tehran described as an unsafe and illegal route. The Guards did not identify the tankers or provide details of any casualties or damage.
Control of the waterway remains a central obstacle to efforts to revive diplomacy. Iran and Oman have discussed arrangements for the passage of commercial shipping and possible service fees for the strait, a proposal opposed by Washington.