At least 20 militants, including several Iranian advisers, were killed after joint US and Saudi airstrikes targeted Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, according to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).
The United States and Saudi Arabia said the strikes were carried out in response to attacks on US military personnel and Saudi oil facilities allegedly linked to Iran-backed militias.
The PMF, also known as the Hashed al-Shaabi, said a preliminary assessment showed that at least 20 of its fighters were killed, while 32 others sustained injuries.
Two PMF officials told AFP that five Iranian military advisers were among those killed during an airstrike in Diyala Province. AFP journalists also observed coffins draped in Iranian flags during a funeral procession held in Baghdad.
The Hashed al-Shaabi was formed in 2014 to help combat jihadist groups before later becoming part of Iraq’s official security forces. The alliance includes several Iran-backed factions that often operate independently.
US President Donald Trump said the operation was coordinated with the Iraqi government. The strikes come amid increasing pressure from Washington on Baghdad to disarm pro-Iran armed groups accused of repeatedly targeting US interests in Iraq and the wider region.
Iraq’s Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, who assumed office earlier this year, has pledged to ensure the armed groups surrender their weapons, although the move has faced resistance from influential factions.
The strikes also followed Saudi Arabia’s claim that its air defence systems intercepted drones targeting oil facilities, with Riyadh blaming Iran-backed groups based in Iraq.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an alliance of pro-Iran armed groups, warned that retaliation against the United States was inevitable and could extend to American interests in Saudi Arabia. However, it said any response would come only after the Arbaeen pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi government condemned the airstrikes, describing them as a violation of the country’s sovereignty regardless of the justification offered. Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to preventing Iraqi territory from being used to threaten neighbouring countries and reiterated plans to ensure only the state controls weapons.