Daijiworld Media Network – Riyadh
Riyadh, Jul 29: US and Saudi Arabian forces carried out precision airstrikes against Iran-aligned groups in eastern Iraq on Tuesday (local time) following a series of drone attacks targeting American troops and Saudi energy infrastructure, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
According to CENTCOM, US and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple logistics and weapons sites used by the groups in response to more than 30 drone attacks carried out over the previous 72 hours, which it alleged were directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
"The unwarranted attacks against U.S. forces were not successful," CENTCOM said in a statement.
The command did not identify the groups targeted or disclose the exact locations of the strikes, saying only that the operation was conducted across eastern Iraq. It also did not provide details on casualties or the extent of damage caused.
CENTCOM claimed that Iran-aligned militias in Iraq had attempted more than 600 attacks on US personnel and facilities between February and April 2026.
"The IRGC and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further U.S. military response," it said.
The joint operation came amid heightened military activity across the Middle East. CENTCOM said the IRGC launched several ballistic missiles from Iran at around 5.45 p.m. Eastern Time in what it described as a surprise attack on US forces stationed in the region.
According to the command, all incoming missiles were successfully intercepted, and no damage or casualties were reported. However, it did not disclose the number of missiles fired, the locations where they were intercepted or the US bases that may have been targeted.
CENTCOM also said more than 20 US Navy warships were deployed across the Middle East to support ongoing military operations, including enforcement of what it described as America's "steel wall blockade" against Iran.
As of July 28, the command said it had redirected 18 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded another two as part of the enforcement measures, without revealing the identities of the ships, their cargo or the locations where the actions took place.