Iraqi Shia cleric demands government action following US-Saudi strikes

Influential Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has forcefully condemned joint military strikes conducted by the United States and Saudi Arabia against Hashd al-Shaabi positions inside Iraq, describing the operation as a grave violation of the country's national integrity.

In a statement reported Wednesday, July 29, by Iraqi news outlets, al-Sadr labelled the coordinated aerial campaign a "direct assault on the state's sovereignty and independence."

The cleric urged the central government in Baghdad to act decisively to safeguard the nation's territory, calling on authorities "to immediately take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens and protect state borders across the entire country."

The condemnation followed an official announcement by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirming that American forces, operating in tandem with Saudi Arabia, conducted targeted precision strikes against pro-Iranian paramilitary formations in Iraq.

According to military officials in Washington, the targeted units were acting under the direction of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and were actively preparing imminent strikes against U.S. military personnel and strategic Saudi energy infrastructure.

By Tamilla Hasanova