A Saudi official has said the kingdom's recent airstrike was aimed at the capabilities of a militia that posed a threat to Saudi security, according to reports from صحيفة سبق الإلكترونية and other outlets.
The official stressed that the action was directed against the militia, not against Iraq or its government, and reaffirmed that Saudi relations with Iraq, both its authorities and its people, remain unchanged.
The strike was carried out in response to what Saudi sources describe as repeated terrorist attacks on the kingdom by Iran-aligned militias operating inside Iraq. The official's remarks were reported by CNN Arabic, عكاظ, and aawsat.com, all citing the same unnamed Saudi source.
The Saudi Press Agency separately reported that the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned and denounced the continued terrorist assaults on the kingdom from these Iraq-based militias.
The statements come amid heightened tensions in the region, with Saudi Arabia signaling that it will act to defend its territory against cross-border threats.
The comments appear designed to reassure Baghdad that the strike was not an act of aggression against the Iraqi state, while making clear that Riyadh views the militia's presence and activities as a direct security concern.
The Saudi official's language, describing the target as "terrorist militia" capabilities, suggests the kingdom is framing the operation as a defensive measure rather than an escalation against Iraq itself.
Observers will be watching for any further military action or diplomatic fallout from the strike, particularly how Baghdad responds to the Saudi explanation.
The situation remains fluid, and the coming days may reveal whether this was a one-off operation or the beginning of a broader campaign against militia positions near the Saudi border.
