Iraq Shuts Iran Crossings, Fires Commander After Saudi Drone Attack
Iraq's PM Ali al-Zaidi dismissed a Maysan province military commander and closed three border crossings with Iran after drone strikes on Saudi Arabia traced to Iraqi territory, Al Jazeera reports.
Developing story — this page will be updated as information becomes available.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi dismissed a military commander in the southern Maysan province and ordered three border crossings with Iran shut after drone strikes hit Saudi Arabia, with Baghdad’s probe pointing to operations launched from within its own borders, Al Jazeera reported.
What We Know
Baghdad confirmed it opened a formal investigation into the operations command of Maysan province, which shares a long frontier with Iran, according to Al Jazeera. The dismissal of the Maysan commander and the immediate closure of three land crossings into Iran represent among the most direct actions Baghdad has taken against militia infrastructure operating inside its borders in recent years.
In a separate but concurrent development, the Houthi movement claimed a drone and missile strike on the Sharurah military base in southern Saudi Arabia, Middle East Eye reported, saying the attack targeted weapons depots and military equipment at the base. Houthi spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree also said Saudi warplanes had carried out 129 airstrikes over the preceding 48 hours, according to Middle East Eye. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed that figure.
US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran is “likely” behind the Saudi pipeline attack, the Times of Israel reported, while adding that Houthi representatives told US officials they do not want to fight. His comments stop short of a formal attribution or a declared response.
What We Don’t Know
No group has formally claimed responsibility for the drones that struck Saudi Arabia and are now under Iraqi investigation. Baghdad has not named the specific militia faction suspected of launching from Maysan, nor has it specified what damage the strikes caused on the Saudi side. A timeline for reopening the border crossings has not been announced. The full scope of Saudi infrastructure damage across all the reported attacks remains unconfirmed. This story is developing.
Context
Maysan province is a well-documented base of operations for Iranian-backed armed factions, including elements of the Popular Mobilization Forces network that formally sits inside Iraq’s state security structure but operates with significant autonomy. For Baghdad to shut crossings and sack a commander is a notable break from the cautious posture Iraqi governments have long maintained toward both Iran and the militias it sponsors.
The timing places Iraq in a difficult position. Tehran will view border closures as a hostile signal. Washington and Riyadh, meanwhile, will watch to see whether Baghdad’s investigation produces accountability or quietly stalls. With Trump publicly pointing at Iran and the Houthis claiming a simultaneous strike on a Saudi base, the region is absorbing multiple concurrent attacks on Saudi territory in a compressed window.
What to Watch
- Whether Iraq names a specific armed faction and takes additional enforcement action against militia networks in Maysan province.
- Whether Saudi Arabia or the United States announces a military or diplomatic response to the attacks attributed to Iran-linked forces.
- Whether Tehran retaliates against Iraq’s border closures diplomatically or through proxy pressure, and how long the crossings remain shut.
Found this useful? Share it.
