May 14, 2026
Saudi warplanes struck Iran-backed militias in IraqIran-backed militias in Iraq, sources say
Saudi fighter jets struck targets linked to Iran-backed Shiite militias inside Iraq during the recent war with Iran, according to multiple sources cited in reports published on May 13 and 14.
The accounts also say rockets were fired from Kuwait into Iraqi territory, underscoring that the fighting spilled across borders in the Gulf region.
The disclosures matter because they point to a wider regional dimension of the war and to attacks on territory outside the main battlefield.
Reported account
Sources described Saudi airstrikes against militia targets in Iraq as part of the wider confrontation with Iran. They said the strikes hit groups linked to Tehran and were paired with retaliatory fire from Kuwait into Iraq.
Regional security view
The reports suggest the conflict was not contained to direct Saudi-Iran exchanges. They indicate that neighboring states and proxy forces were drawn into the fighting, raising the risk of broader escalation.
- Iraq’s borders have often made it a corridor for regional military and political pressure.
- Kuwait was invaded by Iraq in 1990, a shock that reshaped Gulf security cooperation.
- Saudi Arabia and Iran have competed for influence across the Middle East for decades.
US-Iran-Israel War
US, Israeli, and Iranian forces remain in a direct military confrontation that has spread across the Gulf, with the Strait of Hormuz and regional energy infrastructure at the center of the conflict.
