In a significant escalation, the United States and Saudi Arabia carried out joint airstrikes on Popular Mobilization Forces sites across Iraq on Wednesday, after Washington and Riyadh accused Iran-aligned groups of launching drones at Saudi oil facilities.

Iran warned that the accusations could lead to a “miscalculation,” as the strikes reached targets deep inside Iraqi territory.

The operation came as Oman presented a proposal for a new regional agreement aimed at ending the dispute surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage through which approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas production passed before the war began.

The strikes marked the first time Saudi Arabia had publicly acknowledged conducting military operations inside Iraq since the confrontation between Tehran and Washington started.

Saudi Arabia and U.S. Confirm Joint Operation

The U.S. Central Command said American and Saudi forces conducted precision strikes in Iraq on July 28 against Iran-aligned fighters it accused of attacking U.S. personnel and Saudi energy infrastructure under the direction of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that the operation was conducted in coordination with Washington.

The ministry said the strikes targeted what it described as Iran-aligned militias responsible for recent attempted attacks against oil facilities in the kingdom.

An unnamed U.S. official described the operation as a clear message that attempts to strike Saudi energy infrastructure would not go unanswered.

Saudi Arabia said it was acting under the right to self-defence and stressed that it did not seek further escalation. However, Riyadh said it would take the necessary measures to defend its territory, citizens and national resources against additional attacks.

PMF Reports 20 Killed and 32 Wounded

The Popular Mobilization Forces said its main headquarters in Basra, southeastern Iraq near the Iranian border, was struck during an air raid early Wednesday.

In a preliminary casualty count, the group said at least 20 of its members were killed and 32 others were wounded.

It said additional strikes targeted its facilities in Baghdad, Wasit, Nineveh, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala and Diyala, causing varying levels of damage to headquarters, vehicles and military equipment.

A senior PMF media official accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of involvement, noting that the attacks occurred hours after Netanyahu met U.S. President Donald Trump.

The official also repeated longstanding allegations that Saudi Arabia had supported armed groups during Iraq’s sectarian violence between 2006 and 2008 and during the rise of Islamic State between 2014 and 2017.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly rejected those accusations.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an emergency meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security to discuss the security developments. A detailed statement was expected following the meeting.

Hostilities Resume Around Hormuz

The airstrikes ended several days of relative calm and were followed by a new series of military incidents across the region.

The U.S. military said it intercepted Iranian missiles over Jordan, describing the attack as an attempt to achieve surprise.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its aerospace forces launched several ballistic missiles at a U.S. airbase and Central Command facility in Jordan in response to what it described as American aggression.

The IRGC also announced that three oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz had been targeted after allegedly ignoring warnings and continuing along a route Iran described as dangerous and unlawful.

The vessels were reportedly forced to stop.

A day earlier, Yemen’s Houthis said they had targeted a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles, accusing the vessel of violating a maritime blockade the group claims to have imposed on Saudi Arabia.

Oil Prices Jump More Than Four Per Cent

The renewed hostilities caused an immediate increase in global oil prices.

At approximately 03:35 GMT, West Texas Intermediate crude rose four per cent to $82.43 per barrel, while Brent crude increased 4.14 per cent to $87.57.

The rise reflected renewed concerns over the security of energy infrastructure and shipping routes, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump and Netanyahu Discuss Iran

Trump hosted Netanyahu on Tuesday in their first meeting since the Middle East war began.

Trump described the talks as good and said the two leaders discussed several important issues.

Netanyahu said the meeting reflected a shared understanding of their objective to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

The White House described the approximately 90-minute meeting as positive and productive. It was the eighth meeting between Trump and Netanyahu since the U.S. president returned to office last year.

Oman Proposes New Regional Arrangement

Amid efforts to prevent further escalation around the Strait of Hormuz, Oman has presented Iran with a Gulf-backed proposal for a new mechanism to manage the strategic waterway.

The proposal would introduce voluntary fees for ships using the passage, similar to the system applied in Asia’s Strait of Malacca.

Under the proposed arrangement, Iran would not exercise exclusive control over the strait, while payments made by passing vessels would remain voluntary.

The initiative is intended to create a regional framework capable of reducing tensions and restoring safe passage through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.