RIYADH (Web Desk) - A Saudi government official has said the Kingdom remains committed to maintaining strong relations with the government and people of Iraq, stressing that recent airstrikes were not directed against Iraq or its citizens.
According to Arab media reports from Riyadh, the official said the recent strikes were aimed solely at degrading the capabilities of armed militia groups operating in Iraq.
The official claimed that these militias posed a direct threat to Saudi Arabia's national security, alleging that they had targeted the Kingdom's critical civilian infrastructure and key economic facilities, including petroleum installations.
He added that the airstrikes were limited to warehouses and facilities used by the militia groups, which he said were being used to launch attacks against strategic sites inside Saudi Arabia.
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The Saudi official said the military response came only after months of restraint, accusing the armed groups of undermining Iraq's interests and damaging its relations with Saudi Arabia as well as other Arab and Islamic countries.
He further alleged that the militias had been using Iraqi territory and resources to carry out hostile activities against neighboring states and were seeking to strain Iraq's diplomatic ties with the wider region.
The official reiterated that Saudi Arabia values its relationship with Iraq and expressed the Kingdom's desire to strengthen bilateral ties with the Iraqi government and its people.