Al-Zaidi Holds Emergency Security Meeting Following Airstrikes; Awkward Moment During “Development Road” Agreement Signing
Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ali Al-Zaidi ordered an emergency meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security on Wednesday following the security developments that unfolded after the country was subjected to airstrikes early that morning. The developments coincided with controversy surrounding the Iraqi Minister of Transport during the signing ceremony of the Development Road project agreements with Türkiye.
According to a statement issued by the Security Media Cell and reported by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Al-Zaidi directed that an extraordinary meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security be convened to discuss the latest security developments.
The statement explained that the meeting was called in response to the recent field developments and the airstrikes that targeted the country, adding that a detailed statement outlining the outcomes of the discussions, as well as the measures and decisions adopted to address the situation, would be issued afterward.
The government’s move comes amid escalating regional security tensions following the United States’ announcement that it had carried out airstrikes inside Iraqi territory, prompting official and political reactions.
U.S. Airstrikes and Warning Messages; Saudi Arabia Affirms Its Right to Respond
In the same context, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that U.S. forces, in coordination with the Saudi Armed Forces, had carried out what it described as “precision strikes” targeting sites belonging to Iran-backed groups in eastern Iraq.
In a statement, CENTCOM said the military operations were conducted on July 28 and targeted weapons depots and logistical facilities allegedly used by those groups. It added that the targeted elements had received instructions from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to carry out drone attacks against U.S. forces, as well as attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure.
CENTCOM further warned that the continuation of such attacks could prompt the United States to take additional military action, calling on the IRGC and its allied groups to halt operations targeting U.S. forces and critical infrastructure across the region.
For its part, the Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that the Saudi Armed Forces, in coordination with U.S. Central Command, had participated in carrying out what it described as “targeted precision strikes” against the armed groups’ positions inside Iraq.
The ministry’s official spokesperson, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, stated that the targeted sites were linked to attacks against Saudi oil facilities, emphasizing that the Kingdom does not seek escalation but will take all necessary measures in response to any attack targeting its security or vital interests.
These developments come at a time when Iraq’s security situation remains highly sensitive amid the ongoing repercussions of regional escalation and its impact on the country.
Incident in Ankara Puts the Iraqi Government in the Spotlight
At the same time as these security developments, the Iraqi prime minister faced an unexpected situation during his official visit to the Turkish capital, Ankara, where the signing ceremony for the Development Road project agreements drew widespread attention.
A widely circulated video from the ceremony showed Iraqi Minister of Transport Wahab Al-Hassani refraining from signing the project agreement, prompting Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi to address him from the podium in what appeared to be a firm tone, in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior officials from both countries.
Neither the Iraqi Ministry of Transport nor the minister himself has issued an official explanation for the refusal to sign, raising widespread questions about the reasons behind the incident.
Observers said the episode placed the Iraqi delegation in an awkward position during an official event intended to highlight progress on the Development Road project, one of the most significant joint economic and strategic initiatives between Baghdad and Ankara.
Pending an official clarification of what occurred, attention remains focused on the outcome of the emergency security meeting called by the prime minister, as regional military tensions continue and may pose additional challenges to Iraq’s security and political landscape.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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Author: Counselor Faisal Al-Mutairi
Publication Date: July 29, 2026
Last Updated: July 2026
