Why did Saudi Arabia join US strikes on Iraq, and what are the risks?
Saudi Arabia's decision to join the US in strikes against targets in Iraq marks a new phase in the regional war. Riyadh had been reluctant
Saudi Arabia's decision to join the US in strikes against targets in Iraq marks a new phase in the regional war. Riyadh had been reluctant to retaliate despite repeated attacks on its territory and US military assets based there. But after a Saudi Aramco refinery in Jazan was hit, Saudi Arabia joined Washington in strikes on more than 20 targets across seven Iraqi provinces.
The attacks targeted Iran-backed groups as well as Iranian advisers, sending a warning to Iraqi militias and Yemen's Houthis against further attacks. The strategy appears aimed at keeping the response limited while Saudi Arabia continues back-channel diplomacy with Qatar and Pakistan to contain the conflict. But Riyadh risks being drawn into a wider war as the US seeks greater regional backing for its campaign.
With the Strait of Hormuz blocked and the Bab al-Mandeb coming under increasing pressure, the threat to regional oil exports is also growing. The key question is whether limited strikes can contain the conflict or whether the war could spiral into a much wider regional confrontation. Al Jazeera's Osama Bin Javaid joins us here in Doha to discuss the latest developments.
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