Tehran: A joint military operation carried out by the United States and Saudi Arabia in Iraq has significantly escalated tensions in the Middle East, with Iranian state media reporting that at least four members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in the overnight strikes.
According to Iran’s Mehr News Agency, the airstrikes targeted multiple locations in Iraq’s northern Diyala Province, killing IRGC personnel Ali Asghar Astaneh, Abolfazl Motaqi, Morteza Akbari, and Amir Abbas Darhamforoush. The report said all four were from Kashan, a city in central Iran, but did not disclose the nature of their assignments in Iraq.
Separate reports from Al Jazeera, citing Iranian sources, also confirmed the deaths of four IRGC-affiliated individuals during the operation.
US Official Claims Around 20 Iranian Advisers Killed
The New York Times, quoting an unnamed US official, reported that approximately 20 Iranian advisers, including IRGC members and technical experts, were killed in the coordinated strikes. According to the report, the targeted sites were chosen because they were believed to house Iranian advisers supporting Tehran-backed militias involved in missile and drone operations.
The official said the operation was intended to weaken the operational capabilities of Iran-aligned armed groups and prevent future attacks involving missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
PMF Suffers Heavy Casualties
Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) announced that at least 20 of its personnel were killed and 32 others injured in attacks spanning seven provinces, including Baghdad, Diyala, Kirkuk, and Basra.
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the joint operation targeted logistics hubs and weapons storage facilities across eastern Iraq. CENTCOM stated that the strikes followed more than 30 drone attacks over a 72-hour period, which it alleged were orchestrated by the IRGC against US military personnel and Saudi Arabian energy infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia Cites Drone Threat
The military operation came shortly after Saudi Arabia announced that its air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed several drones targeting oil facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.
Saudi officials blamed Iran-backed armed groups operating from Iraqi territory for the attempted attacks, describing them as a serious threat to regional security and energy infrastructure.
Iraq Condemns the Operation
The Iraqi government strongly criticized the joint military action. Iraq’s National Security Council described the strikes as “an unacceptable aggression”, stating that the attacks took place while Iraqi officials were engaged in ongoing security discussions with representatives from both the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Although US President Donald Trump stated that the operation had been conducted in coordination with Iraqi authorities, the Iraqi government rejected that claim and reiterated that any military action conducted without its full consent constitutes a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.
Regional Tensions Intensify
The latest military action has further heightened tensions across the Middle East, with concerns growing over the possibility of wider regional escalation involving Iran, Iraq, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. Diplomatic observers warn that continued military confrontations could undermine regional stability and complicate ongoing efforts to reduce hostilities in the region.
