Houthis launch attacks on Saudi Arabia from Iraqi territory in coordination with Iraqi militias

Yemen's Houthis partnered with Iraqi militias to launch strikes on Saudi Arabian oil facilities from Iraqi territory under IRGC supervision. In response, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia conducted retaliatory airstrikes in Iraq on July 29, 2026. The incident highlights deepening coordination within Iran's Axis of Resistance and has forced Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to cancel a diplomatic visit to Riyadh while struggling to bring independent armed factions under state control.

Houthi attacks from Iraq

• ▪Yemen's Houthis attacked Saudi Arabia during the week of July 27, 2026, from Iraqi territory in coordination with Iraqi armed groups.
• ▪The attacks on Saudi Arabia included strikes on oil facilities in the kingdom's eastern province, which serves as its main crude hub.

Iran-aligned militia coordination

• ▪Iran-aligned media mourned members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iraqi fighters, and at least one Houthi following Saudi-U.S. strikes on July 29, 2026.
• ▪The joint attacks by the Houthis and Iraqi armed groups from Iraqi territory were conducted under the supervision of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Saudi-U.S. retaliatory strikes

• ▪Saudi Arabia and the United States carried out joint airstrikes on Iraqi sites on July 29, 2026, targeting locations linked to the attacks on Saudi Arabia.
• ▪Saudi Arabia officially blamed Iraqi armed groups aligned with Iran for the attacks, while Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility for them.

Iraq as militia launchpad

• ▪Iraq's more than 800-kilometer border with Saudi Arabia provides an ideal launch pad for covert attacks across Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
• ▪Prior attacks blamed on Iraq-based groups include a two-drone strike on the U.S. embassy in Riyadh in March 2026 and a strike on the UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant in May 2026.

Houthi-Iraqi militia history

• ▪The Houthis maintain a fixed presence in Iraq, including offices and a formal representative named Ahmed al-Sharafi.
• ▪Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi announced the existence of a joint operations room between the Houthis and Iraqi factions in 2024.

Iraqi state control challenges

• ▪Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi cancelled a planned visit to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on July 30, 2026, following the Saudi strikes on Iraq.
• ▪Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi established a plan to bring all arms under state control by the end of September 2026, despite opposition from armed factions.

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