Story perspectives

US, Saudi Airstrike Iran-Backed Militias, Oil Prices Surge

7/30/2026

Center

U.S.-Saudi Airstrike

U.S. and Saudi forces airstriked Iranian-backed militia sites in eastern Iraq on Wednesday.
Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman said the strikes were meant to deter Iran and called for negotiations.
Revolutionary Guard navy forced tankers to stop in Strait of Hormuz after warnings.
Planet Labs imagery confirmed damage to Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq facility after drone attacks.
Popular Mobilisation Forces reported 20 fighters killed and 32 wounded in the strikes.

Left

U.S.-Saudi Strike

U.S. and Saudi forces struck Iranian-backed militia sites in eastern Iraq on Wednesday in a coordinated operation.
The strikes deepened Saudi Arabia’s fiscal strain, producing its biggest quarterly deficit since 2018.
The attacks killed at least 20 militia fighters and wounded dozens, underscoring the human toll.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi called an emergency security meeting as Brent crude rose 7.3%.

History

Historical Context

Operation Desert Storm’s 1991 air campaign, led by the United States with Saudi forces—including the Saudi 20th Mechanized and 4th Armored Brigades—forced Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi army out of Kuwait. The coalition’s success showed how joint US-Saudi air power could shape regional security, a precedent echoed in the 2024 coordinated strikes against Iranian-backed militias in eastern Iraq.

1 of 3

U.S.-Saudi Airstrike

U.S. and Saudi forces airstriked Iranian-backed militia sites in eastern Iraq on Wednesday.
Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman said the strikes were meant to deter Iran and called for negotiations.
Revolutionary Guard navy forced tankers to stop in Strait of Hormuz after warnings.
Planet Labs imagery confirmed damage to Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq facility after drone attacks.
Popular Mobilisation Forces reported 20 fighters killed and 32 wounded in the strikes.

1 / 3