These strikes are part of a larger trend of military responses across the Gulf that remained largely undisclosed throughout a conflict that was initiated by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and expanded into the broader Middle East.
For this report, Reuters interviewed three Iraqi security and military officials, a Western official, and two individuals informed on the matter, one being from the U.S.
The Saudi strikes were executed by the Saudi air force against Iran-linked militia sites near the kingdom’s northern border with Iraq, said one Western official and an insider. The Western official indicated that some of these strikes occurred around the time of the April 7 U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
They targeted locations from which drone and missile assaults had been launched towards Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations, according to the sources.
Based on military assessments, the Iraqi sources noted that rocket strikes were executed at least twice from Kuwaiti territory into Iraq. One set of strikes targeted militia positions in southern Iraq in April, resulting in the deaths of several fighters and the destruction of a facility utilized by the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah for communications and drone operations, they stated.
Reuters could not ascertain whether the rockets from Kuwait were fired by the Kuwaiti armed forces or the U.S. military, both of which have a significant presence there. The U.S. military declined to comment, and there was no immediate response from the Kuwaiti information ministry or the Iraqi government regarding requests for comment.
SAUDI ARABIA ALSO HIT IRAN
A Saudi foreign ministry representative stated that Saudi Arabia is committed to de-escalation, self-restraint, and “reducing tensions to seek stability, security, and prosperity in the region,” but did not address the strikes on Iraq. A spokesperson for Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah also did not respond promptly to a request for comments.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia executed strikes directly on Iran during the war as retaliation for attacks on the kingdom, marking the first known instance of Riyadh targeting Iranian territory. Similarly, the UAE conducted strikes on Iran, according to three individuals familiar with the situation.
Nonetheless, hundreds of drones targeting the Gulf originated from Iraq, all sources indicated.
Militia-linked Telegram channels frequently published statements amid the war claiming attacks on targets in Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Reuters could not independently verify their validity.
Ongoing assaults from a secondary front in Iraq led Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to become increasingly frustrated with the militias, which collectively command tens of thousands of fighters and stockpiles of missiles and drones.
Kuwait summoned Iraq’s representative in the country three times during the conflict to protest against cross-border attacks, including the assault on the Kuwaiti consulate in the city of Basra on April 7. Additionally, Saudi Arabia summoned Iraq’s ambassador on April 12 to denounce the attacks.
IRAQ-GULF TIES DEFINED BY SUSPICION
Relations between Gulf Arab states and Iraq have historically been marked by suspicion. Ties were severely impacted in 1990 when Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s forces invaded Kuwait and launched Scud missiles at Saudi Arabia, leaving a legacy of strife for decades.
The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq exacerbated Gulf concerns by empowering Shi’ite political factions and armed groups closely affiliated with Tehran, positioning Iraq as a key element in Iran’s regional network of proxies.
Gulf nations have consistently accused Baghdad of failing to rein in these groups, which operate with considerable autonomy and have executed cross-border attacks.
A China-mediated détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023 had sparked hope for larger regional stabilization. However, the outbreak of war has severely strained these advancements, drawing Gulf states into a conflict they aimed to avoid and revealing the limitations of diplomatic progress achieved in recent years.
In March, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait warned Baghdad through diplomatic channels to restrain rocket and drone assaults launched by pro-Iranian factions against Gulf states, according to two Iraqi security officials and a government security adviser.
Also Read | Saudi Arabia, Kuwait reopen bases for US operations after ‘Project Freedom’ pause
Iraqi forces claim they intercepted some attempted attacks, including the seizure of a rocket launcher west of Basra aimed at Saudi energy infrastructures.
However, Iran-backed militias continue to operate surveillance drones along Iraq’s borders with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, conducting reconnaissance and relaying intelligence to Iran, according to four Iraqi security sources and an informed individual.
“They are gathering information on what has been damaged, what is still operational. They are preparing for the next strike,” the informed individual stated.
