US and Saudi Arabia Strike Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq Amid Regional Escalation
22 sources across 14 countries · 2 state-linked
Who reported this
- Haaretz
- The Times of Israel
- The Jerusalem Post
- The Guardian
- BBC News
- Reuters
- Al-Monitor
- Associated Press
- Bloomberg
- Le Monde
- France 24
- Der Spiegel
- Frankfurter Allgemeine
- The Daily Star
- La Tercera
- Telex
- The Jakarta Post
- Aftenposten
- Rappler
- Al Jazeera
- The Straits Times
- Daily Maverick
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- Hatched: the outlet is state-affiliated or state-controlled
Lean is where the outlet sits in its OWN country's politics, never on one global scale.
Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.
Ownership is disclosed, never rated.
The United States and Saudi Arabia launched air strikes against Iran-backed militias in eastern Iraq on Wednesday, responding to a wave of drone attacks targeting Saudi energy infrastructure and US forces. US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that fighter aircraft targeted logistics and weapons sites belonging to "Iran-aligned terrorists" directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), noting that more than 30 IRGC-directed drone attacks occurred over a 72-hour period. Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry confirmed its involvement, asserting its right to defend itself while stating it does not seek further escalation.
The strikes followed an Iranian launch of multiple ballistic missiles at US forces in the Middle East. While CENTCOM announced that all incoming missiles were successfully intercepted, the IRGC stated it targeted a US air base and military command center in Jordan, specifically referencing the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces reported that the strikes hit several official headquarters, resulting in casualties and building damage.
Tensions have also flared over the Strait of Hormuz, where the IRGC claims "full control" and reported striking three oil tankers that ignored warnings. In response to the instability, Oman proposed a regional plan for joint management of the waterway involving voluntary fees, though reports indicate the US opposes such tolls. These developments contributed to a rise in crude oil prices by over $3 a barrel.
Amidst the conflict, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held their first in-person talks since the Middle East war began in late February, discussing common goals regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions. This military activity follows a brief pause in hostilities that had been intended to facilitate negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz.
Outlets with center and center-left leans frame these events as part of a volatile cycle of retaliation and strategic maneuvering over trade routes, while center-right outlets emphasize the legitimacy of the strikes against "terrorist" proxies and the inherent threat posed by the Iranian regime.
How each side framed it
- Centre-right
- Emphasizes the role of 'terrorist' proxies and frames the US and Saudi actions as necessary defensive measures against Iranian aggression.
Sources
- Centre-right Aftenposten: USA and Saudi Arabia have carried out attacks against Iranian-backed groups in Iraq
- Centre-right Aftenposten: New attacks in the Middle East after several days of calm – oil price rises
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: Saudi Arabia, US carry out strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: Iran missiles target US forces in Jordan after a five-day pause in war
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: Iran war live: US, Saudi forces attack Tehran-aligned groups in Iraq
- Centre Al-Monitor: US, Saudis attack Iran-backed groups in Iraq, threatening to intensify conflict
- Centre Al-Monitor: US, Saudi forces strike Iran-backed groups in Iraq
- Centre Al-Monitor: US, Saudi Arabia strike Iran-aligned militias in Iraq as IRGC targets US forces in Jordan
- Centre Associated Press: US thwarts an Iranian missile attack and launches strikes with Saudi Arabia against militias in Iraq - AP News
- Centre BBC News: Iran and US trade strikes, shattering brief lull in fighting
- Centre Bloomberg: Militias in Iraq Attack Saudi Oil Facilities for a Second Day
- Centre-left Daily Maverick: US says it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards US forces in Middle East
- Centre-left Der Spiegel: Iran War: USA report rocket attacks from Iran – and attack targets in Iraq with Saudi Arabia
- Centre France 24: Live: US and Saudi Arabia launch strikes on Iraq, target Iran allies
- Centre-right Frankfurter Allgemeine: Live blog Iran war: USA and Saudi Arabia attack "terrorists" in Iraq
- Left Haaretz: U.S., Saudi Arabia strike pro-Iran groups in Iraq after Iran launches missiles at U.S. base
- Centre-right La Tercera: US and Saudi Arabia launch “precision” attacks against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq
- Centre-left Le Monde: LIVE, war in the Middle East: joint attack by the United States and Saudi Arabia against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq
- Centre-left Rappler: US, Saudis attack Iran-backed groups in Iraq, threatening to intensify conflict
- Centre Reuters: US military says US, Saudi forces struck sites of Iran-backed groups in Iraq - Reuters
- Centre Reuters: Oil rises as US-Iran tension escalates after Iraq strikes, missile attack - Reuters
- Centre Reuters: US, Saudis attack Iran-backed groups in Iraq, threatening to intensify conflict - Reuters
- Centre Reuters: US says it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards US forces in Middle East - Reuters
- Centre Telex: Americans say: Iranian armed groups were attacked in Iraq
- Centre The Daily Star: US, Saudi forces strike Iran-backed 'terrorists' in Iraq: US military
- Centre-left The Guardian: US thwarts ‘surprise’ Iran missile attack, and joins forces with Saudis to hit targets in Iraq
- Centre-left The Jakarta Post: Netanyahu holds first White House talks with Trump since Iran war began
- Centre-right The Jerusalem Post: US, Saudi militaries attack Iranian-backed militias in Iraq following Iranian strikes on US bases
- Centre-right The Straits Times: US, Saudis attack Iran-backed groups in Iraq, threatening to intensify conflict
- Centre The Times of Israel: IRGC targets US forces in Jordan, as Iran rejects Omani plan to divide Hormuz between them
Faithfulness score: 0.95 (fraction of claims supported by the sources, self-judged).