Iraq probes drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, shuts three crossings to Iran
PM Ali al-Zaidi dismisses commander, orders investigation into operations command in Maysan province, bordering Iran.
Iraq has closed some border crossings with Iran while investigating drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline that it confirms were launched from its territory.
The Iraqi government temporarily closed three of its crossings into Iran after drone launch sites were discovered in the country, an Iraqi security source told Al Jazeera on Saturday.
Reporting from Baghdad, Al Jazeera’s Jack Hewson listed the closed crossings as: Shalamcheh in Basra province, al-Shib in Maysan province, and Mandali in the province of Diyala. He said that Iraq had primarily ordered the closure of the crossings over fears that the perpetrators of attacks could flee to Iran.
The attack on the East-West oil pipeline took place on Thursday, with Saudi Arabia announcing it was temporarily suspending the route as a “precautionary measure” the following day.