Egypt on Wednesday strongly condemned attacks on oil facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia and missile strikes targeting Jordan, describing them as unacceptable assaults on state sovereignty and civilian infrastructure that threaten regional stability and global energy security.
In a statement, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Cairo’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and Jordan, expressing support for all measures taken by both countries to safeguard their security, sovereignty and critical infrastructure. The ministry also rejected any attacks targeting civilian facilities or undermining the security and stability of Arab states.
In a phone call with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi stressed that Jordan’s security is an integral part of Egypt’s national security and condemned the Iranian attacks targeting the kingdom and other Arab states. He also called for intensified regional and international efforts to reach political solutions, reduce tensions and prevent the conflict from escalating further.
Egypt’s statements came hours after the United States and Saudi Arabia carried out joint air strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in several Iraqi provinces, marking the first publicly acknowledged Saudi military intervention in Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War.
US President Donald Trump said the operation had been coordinated with the Iraqi government and described the targeted militias as “a cancer in the world,” adding that additional measures against Iranian proxy groups were under consideration.
The Iraqi presidency, however, condemned the strikes as a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and an attack on official security institutions. Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi ordered an emergency meeting of the Ministerial National Security Council to assess the consequences of the operation, which targeted sites in Basra, Wasit, Diyala, Karbala, Babil, Baghdad and Nineveh provinces.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said the operation was launched in response to drone attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq targeting oil installations in the kingdom’s Eastern Province. It added that the strikes were conducted under the right to self-defence as recognised by Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
The ministry said Saudi Arabia does not seek escalation but will take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, citizens and strategic assets.
US Central Command said the joint precision strikes targeted Iran-backed militants directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to attack US forces and Saudi oil infrastructure.
The Gulf Cooperation Council expressed its full support for Saudi Arabia, while Kuwait said the attacks demonstrated the determination of Iran-backed groups to destabilise the region. Kuwait also affirmed Riyadh’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law.
Iran condemned the joint US-Saudi operation, saying the strikes hit facilities belonging to official Iraqi institutions as well as sites serving religious pilgrims. Tehran described the attacks as a violation of international law and part of an effort to widen the regional conflict.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s armed forces said they intercepted five missiles launched from Iran towards the kingdom. Saudi Arabia said its air defence systems also destroyed several drones launched from Iraqi territory targeting oil facilities, while Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed it had shot down a Saudi reconnaissance aircraft over Saada province.
The escalation unfolded amid continuing tensions over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had proposed a temporary arrangement with Oman to reopen the strategic waterway, under which parts of both shipping lanes would pass through Iranian territorial waters.
He added that Iran had rejected an Omani proposal to divide the navigation routes equally between the two countries, arguing that it failed to address Tehran’s security concerns.
Qatar and Kuwait urged all parties to return to dialogue and implement the understandings reached under the US-Iran memorandum, including guarantees for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
