Iran War Live Updates: U.S. and Saudi Airstrikes Drag More Countries Into Fighting

Key Points:

• The United States accused Iran of directing its Iraqi allies to attack U.S. forces and Saudi energy infrastructure, prompting joint U.S.-Saudi airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq that killed about 20 fighters and advisers; Iraq condemned the strikes as violations of its sovereignty.
• Saudi Arabia, facing numerous drone attacks on its oil facilities and a Houthi militia blockade in the Red Sea, declared it seeks no escalation but will respond to aggression, marking its first overt involvement in the U.S.-led conflict against Iran.
• The Popular Mobilization Forces (P.M.F.), a coalition of mainly Shiite Iraqi militias with close ties to Iran, have launched over 30 drone attacks on U.S. and Saudi targets recently, complicating Iraq’s efforts to control armed groups operating with significant independence.
• Hezbollah launched a drone attack on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon amid ongoing hostilities, while tensions in the Red Sea have disrupted oil shipping routes, with the Iranian-backed Houthis targeting Saudi-linked vessels and imposing a blockade affecting global energy supplies.
• Iran’s leadership appears divided over escalating the conflict, with some advocating restraint regarding Ukraine after a cargo ship attack, while diplomatic efforts continue amid broader regional instability and concerns about a wider war involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.