Iraq Denounces Saudi-US Strikes as Violation of Sovereignty

The National Security Council of Iraq has issued a strong condemnation of the recent airstrikes conducted by Saudi Arabia and the United States, which targeted the Iran-supported Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). These strikes, which occurred on Wednesday, resulted in the deaths of at least 20 members of the PMF, a paramilitary group operating within Iraq. During a council meeting led by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, the officials described the attacks as a blatant infringement on Iraq's sovereignty and the integrity of its territory. The council's statement, shared via X, characterized the strikes as 'an aggression' that violates international law and the principles outlined in the United Nations Charter. They emphasized that any breach of Iraq's security and sovereignty will be met with zero tolerance.

In response to the airstrikes, which were said to have targeted PMF bases across seven Iraqi provinces, both Saudi Arabia and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) justified their actions by claiming that they aimed to neutralize armed groups aligned with Iran that were responsible for assaults on American forces and Saudi energy facilities. The Saudi Ministry of Defence released a statement asserting that these strikes were a direct response to recent drone attacks, claiming that Saudi air defenses had successfully intercepted and destroyed several drones that had attempted to strike oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh, which they alleged were launched from Iraqi territory by Iranian-backed militias. However, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of groups claiming to resist foreign influence, rejected these accusations, labeling them as 'fabrications' and warning that any aggressive actions from Saudi Arabia would provoke a severe retaliation.