Baghdad, Iraq – The office of the Iraqi Prime Minister announced on Saturday that strict military and political measures had been taken, including the dismissal of a senior military commander from his post. This move follows the conclusion of official investigations into recent drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. According to the official government statement, the investigations conclusively proved that the attack drones targeting the strategic oil pipeline were launched directly from Iraqi territory.
In light of these findings, Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi relieved the province’s operations commander of his duties after it was confirmed that drones had been launched toward Saudi territory from a site within the boundaries of Maysan Governorate. Al-Zaidi also issued immediate directives to form a specialized high-level committee to review the overall security performance of the Maysan Operations Command. This included a thorough investigation into the execution of these attacks and the parties behind them, without officially disclosing the name of the dismissed commander.
Details of the targeting of oil facilities and the Saudi position
These developments follow an announcement by the Saudi Ministry of Energy that the East-West pipeline had been targeted by multiple drones launched from Iraq, affecting the Riyadh and Medina regions. The attacks resulted in casualties and material damage, prompting a temporary shutdown of the pipeline as a precautionary measure.
At the time, Riyadh explained that it had opted against a military response—in deference to a request from the Iraqi Prime Minister—to allow Baghdad the opportunity to take the necessary measures to prevent a recurrence of the attacks. However, it simultaneously affirmed its full right to protect its security and sovereignty. For its part, the Iraqi government strongly condemned the attacks, reiterating its firm commitment to ensuring that the country’s territory and airspace would not serve as a launchpad for aggression against neighboring states.
The Context of Escalation and the Background of the Security Crisis
This escalation recalls the tensions of late July, when Saudi Arabia announced the interception of drones launched from Iraq that were targeting oil facilities. Subsequently, its forces—in coordination with US Central Command—carried out airstrikes against positions held by armed groups across seven Iraqi governorates. Thus, Baghdad faces critical security challenges in securing its borders and preventing a recurrence of such dangerous breaches.
