By Desmond Nleya

DUBAI-The United States and Saudi Arabia have launched coordinated military strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, marking a significant escalation in the regional conflict.

According to US officials, the attacks were carried out in retaliation for what they described as 30 Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-directed drone attacks over the past month, including strikes targeting Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities.

The military action came shortly after Washington accused Iran of launching multiple ballistic missiles in what it described as an attempted surprise attack on US forces stationed at a military base in Jordan.

Meanwhile, Tehran has warned that it is prepared to take “any action,” including resuming war, to maintain control over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route.

Amid the growing tensions, the White House confirmed that US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held what officials described as “positive and productive” discussions on the rapidly evolving security situation in the Middle East.