ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Islamic Resistance in Iraq late Monday warned Saudi Arabia against any “foolish” action after Riyadh claimed a number of drones targeting its territory were launched by pro-Iran groups in Iraq, saying any action would have the Saudis “biting their fingers in regret.” 

Riyadh said Monday that its forces intercepted several drone attacks launched earlier in the day from Iraqi territory by Iran-backed proxy groups, reaffirming its “legitimate right” to defend its sovereignty. 

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella network of pro-Iran militia groups, slammed the accusations, saying they “only strengthen our conviction that hostility towards Iraq and its people is an inherent characteristic of the [Saudi] regime.” 

“We in the Islamic Resistance issue a clear warning to the Saudi regime, declaring that any foolish Saudi action will be met with a harsh response that will leave them biting their fingers in regret,” it said in a statement. 

The network of militias further called on Riyadh to “lift the unjust siege” on Yemen, with tensions between the Iran-backed Houthi militias and Saudi Arabia having surged after a period of calm. 

Further addressing the claims, the statement described Saudi Arabia’s claims as “nothing but an attempt to justify their inability to respond to the painful Yemeni strikes that have targeted the heart of their infrastructure.” 

On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi directed security agencies to investigate Saudi Arabia’s claims, according to a statement from his spokesperson. 

The Gulf states have repeatedly been targeted by Iran and its aligned factions during both the current and previous phases of the US-Iran conflict, with Iraq having drawn diplomatic backlash because of the alleged involvement of pro-Iran Iraqi militias in carrying out drone and missile strikes on regional countries.

Saudi Arabia has become increasingly involved in the regional war after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi vessels transiting the Red Sea, with Kataib Hezbollah, a pro-Iran Iraqi militia, hailing the embargo as an expression of "unwavering will."