Iraq condemns US-Saudi strikes, vows tighter control over armed groups

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq condemned U.S.-Saudi airstrikes on Wednesday that targeted Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) sites, calling the attacks a violation of its sovereignty, and announced new measures to tighten state control over security and prevent Iraqi territory from being used to threaten neighboring countries. Following the attacks, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over an emergency meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security, which the government said killed and injured many Iraqis. As regional tensions rose, Al-Zaidi cancelled a planned visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday. In a statement published after the meeting, the council said that the strikes happened when Baghdad was already in talks with US and Saudi authorities over suspicions that Iran-aligned armed organizations operating from Iraq committed drone assaults on Saudi land. “The government was actively engaging with the relevant parties to verify and address the concerns raised by both the Saudi and US sides,” the statement stated, adding that the military action hampered such efforts. The council authorized a comprehensive security strategy aimed at strengthening state authority across Iraq, combating breaches of Iraqi sovereignty, and prohibiting any party from exploiting Iraqi territory to threaten neighboring nations. The steps reflect Baghdad’s efforts to guarantee that no armed organization may launch assaults from Iraqi soil that could pull the nation into larger regional wars, while also confirming the government’s goal of bringing all security actions under state control. The council also directed the Foreign Ministry to take legal and diplomatic measures under international law and the United Nations Charter to record the attacks and protect Iraq’s legal rights. The government condemned the attacks but emphasized that responding to security threats and enforcing the law is solely the responsibility of Iraq’s constitutional institutions. “The government rejects all acts of aggression, regardless of the party responsible or the justifications presented,” the statement read. The council underlined Baghdad’s commitment to addressing regional conflicts via diplomacy while maintaining efforts to keep all armaments under state control. It also restated Iraq’s commitment to carrying out the security agreement guiding the departure of the US-led international coalition by the end of September 2026. The emergency conference occurred hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that the midnight attacks were coordinated with the Iraqi government, something Baghdad has not officially verified. Iraqi authorities have openly opposed the operation, emphasizing the political sensitivity of the attacks. The events highlight Al-Zaidi’s increasingly precarious situation, as he seeks to boost Iraq’s connections with the US and Gulf Arab governments while retaining relations with Iran. His decision to cancel the Saudi visit underlines the gravity of the problem, as Baghdad seeks to temper regional tensions while preventing Iraqi land from becoming a battlefield for opposing forces. The government’s current security strategy also suggests a renewed desire to prevent armed groups from operating outside official control, as Baghdad wants to reassure neighboring nations that Iraq will not be used as a springboard for assaults that endanger regional peace.