US and Saudi Forces Strike Iran-Backed Targets in Iraq

The military action signals a sharp pivot back to open confrontation, triggering an immediate spike in global oil prices. Tehran responded to the operation by rejecting an Omani-brokered proposal to secure the Strait of Hormuz, further closing off diplomatic avenues for de-escalation. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have since retaliated with ballistic missile fire aimed at American installations, deepening the cycle of violence.

Caught in the middle, the Iraqi government has scrambled to convene emergency meetings. Baghdad, which relies on a delicate balance of security partnerships with both Washington and Tehran, now faces the risk of its territory serving as the primary theater for a broader Sunni-Shi'ite proxy war. The situation remains volatile as regional alliances fracture under the weight of renewed hostilities.