Shafaq News- Baghdad
A senior Iraqi security delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to discuss recent drone attacks against the Kingdom and strengthen security and intelligence coordination, a senior government source told Shafaq News.
The delegation will be led by Abdul Amir al-Shammari, director of the Iraqi Armed Forces commander-in-chief’s office, and Intelligence Service chief Hamid al-Shatri. According to the source, talks will cover recent security developments and measures to prevent further attacks on Saudi territory.
Drone Attacks and Subsequent Strikes
On July 27, Saudi Arabia announced that its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraqi territory toward oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh region, accusing “Iran-backed terrorist militias” of carrying out the attack. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella of Iran-aligned armed factions, denied responsibility and warned of a “harsh” response if Saudi Arabia took action against it, while Iraqi Prime Minister and Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Ali Falih al-Zaidi ordered security authorities to investigate the allegations.
Two days later, joint US-Saudi airstrikes targeted Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) positions across seven Iraqi provinces, killing at least 20 members and wounding 32 others. Washington and Riyadh described the operation as a response to alleged attacks on US forces and Saudi energy facilities, prompting al-Zaidi to cancel a scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia.
Read more: Wednesday's US-Saudi attack on Iraq: What Is Known
Iran-backed factions, including Saraya Awliya al-Dam, Harakat al-Nujaba, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Ashab al-Kahf, and the Badr Organization, condemned the strikes. Some demanded the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq, the severing of diplomatic and economic ties with Saudi Arabia, and the expulsion of the Saudi ambassador.
Operating under the umbrella of IRI, the groups gave the Iraqi government until August 6 to demonstrate its ability to defend the country's sovereignty, cautioning that a response would be "inevitable." They later postponed their planned retaliation following appeals from Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Amiri and other Iraqi political figures. Al-Amiri urged “restraint for the greater national interest” and pledged to pursue justice for those killed and wounded.
A source told Shafaq News that the factions want Riyadh to acknowledge that the strikes were a mistake, compensate the families of those killed and cover damage to public property, and tone down Saudi media coverage they consider hostile.
Several days ago, a Saudi delegation headed by intelligence chief Khalid bin Ali al-Humaidan held talks in Baghdad, where Riyadh renewed its invitation for al-Zaidi to visit the Kingdom. A source told Shafaq News that the prime minister is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia next week following international and domestic mediation, with Saudi authorities intending to present what they say is evidence that the attacks against the Kingdom originated from Iraqi territory.