Baghdad, Sept 2026 : Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ali al-Zaidi has dismissed the commander of the Maysan Operations Command after authorities confirmed that attacks targeting Saudi Arabia were launched from a site in Maysan province in southern Iraq.
Al-Zaidi also ordered a formal investigation into the Maysan Operations Command by establishing a special investigative council, Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, said in a statement.
The move followed the Iraqi government’s condemnation on Friday night of the attacks against Saudi Arabia. Baghdad rejected “any aggression that threatens the Kingdom’s security and stability” and stressed that Iraqi territory must not be used to carry out attacks against neighbouring countries.
Al-Numan said the Iraqi government appreciated Saudi Arabia’s response to Baghdad’s efforts to contain the situation and prevent further escalation.
“The state will not tolerate any activity that endangers Iraq or its relations with brotherly and friendly countries,” he said.
Iraq also reiterated that neither its territory nor airspace would be used as a launching point for attacks against any country. The government stressed that its policy was based on respecting the sovereignty of states and maintaining stable relations with neighbouring and friendly nations.
The developments came after Saudi Arabia said several drones launched from Iraq had targeted its East-West Pipeline on Friday, resulting in injuries and damage.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks but said Riyadh had decided not to retaliate at this stage following a request from the Iraqi Prime Minister.
Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline is strategically important to the country’s oil infrastructure. The pipeline transports crude oil from Saudi Arabia’s oil-producing regions in the east to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, allowing the Kingdom to export oil without relying entirely on shipping routes through the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz.
The latest incident comes amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran-aligned armed groups operating in Iraq and wider concerns over attacks against energy infrastructure and military facilities in the region.
In July, US and Saudi forces carried out precision airstrikes against Iran-aligned groups in eastern Iraq after more than 30 drone attacks targeted American troops and Saudi energy infrastructure, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
CENTCOM said US and Saudi fighter aircraft struck several logistics and weapons sites allegedly used by the groups. The operation was described as a response to aerial attacks conducted during the preceding 72 hours under the direction of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“The unwarranted attacks against US forces were not successful,” CENTCOM said.
The latest Iraqi government action signals Baghdad’s effort to prevent its territory from being used by armed groups to conduct cross-border attacks and to contain tensions with Saudi Arabia.
The dismissal of the Maysan Operations Commander and the launch of a special investigation also underline the Iraqi government’s stated commitment to establishing responsibility for the attacks and preventing similar incidents in the future.
The developments are being closely watched amid continuing regional tensions and concerns that attacks launched from Iraqi territory could further complicate Baghdad’s relations with Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region.
Disclaimer: This article is sourced from a news agency and has not been independently edited by the MaverickNews30 team. The copy has been slightly edited with AI assistance for language and presentation, without altering the original facts.
