US and Saudi Strikes in Iraq Kill 20 Iranian Revolutionary Guards Advisors

On Tuesday night, coordinated airstrikes by the United States and Saudi Arabia in Iraq targeted sites hosting Iranian advisors, resulting in the deaths of approximately 20 Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members and technical advisors. A US official, speaking anonymously due to operational sensitivity, told The New York Times that the strikes were deliberately aimed at locations where Iranian advisors were present, intending also to degrade the missile and drone capabilities of Iran-backed militias in the region.

The following day, American and Saudi fighter jets continued to attack Iran-affiliated militias and their advisors in Iraq. In retaliation, Iran launched missile strikes against military bases in Jordan. Additionally, drone attacks reportedly struck oil tankers in Egypt, marking a new front in the escalating conflict.

These developments come after the collapse of a ceasefire between the US and Iran earlier this month, which has led Tehran-backed groups across the Middle East to open new fronts and intensify clashes in previously active zones. The conflict, once largely confined to countries along the Persian Gulf, is now expanding to involve Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt, complicating the regional security landscape further.