On Tuesday, July 28th, 2026, Saudi Arabia announced it shot down several drones fired by Iran-backed militias based in Iraq for a second consecutive day. The Saudi Defence Ministry stated that air defenses intercepted and destroyed drones targeting petroleum facilities in the kingdom's eastern region. The ministry claimed these attacks were "once again launched from Iraqi territory and carried out by Iran-affiliated terrorist militias."

In response to Saudi allegations, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered security agencies to investigate the incidents. The Iraqi military affirmed its commitment to preventing Iraqi territory from being used as a launching point for attacks against friendly countries. Meanwhile, Iraqi militias denied involvement in the drone attacks. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, dismissed Saudi claims as "fabrications" and suggested that the Houthi rebels were responsible for Monday's attacks, which the Houthis themselves had claimed.

Concurrently, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen asserted they fired missiles at the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal, compelling it to turn back. The Houthis had earlier announced a blockade of Saudi shipping, threatening the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a critical Middle Eastern waterway leading to the Red Sea.

These developments highlight persistent tensions in the region despite a recent lull in hostilities between the United States and Iran, with neither side reporting attacks following weeks of escalation around the Strait of Hormuz.

Sources