Iraq Militia Takes Credit for Drone Attack on Riyadh

Saudis intercepted drone on Saturday, were blaming Yemen's Houthis for it

Saturday’s interception of an apparent drone overflight in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, which officials had suggested was an attack by Yemen’s Houthi movement, is being claimed by another, unrelated party.

Alwiya al-Waad al-Haq, an Iraqi Shi’ite militia group which is party of the PMF, has issued a statement claiming credit for the failed attack, saying it was retaliation for the Saudis supporting ISIS and other Islamist groups.

Early reports suggested the Riyahd effort may have been drone or missile, and it delayed some flights out of the Saudi capital. Locals reported a loud explosion, the apparent interception.

Officials wanted to assume the Houthis were responsible and wanted to make it at least somewhat about Iran. The Iraqi militia is believed to have some ties to Iran, but how much so is unclear, as officials try to pin everything on Iran as a matter of course.

The Houthis have historically gone after airports, which is why flights were delayed. The Iraq group says their drones were after al-Yammah Palace and other targets.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.