The United States said it intercepted a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces in the Middle East before launching joint strikes with Saudi Arabia against sites in Iraq allegedly used by Iran-backed militias.
The US military described the missile launch as an attempted surprise attack by Tehran, saying all incoming missiles were successfully intercepted. According to Axios, citing a US official, the intended target was a US military base in Jordan.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the missile attack ended a brief pause in hostilities after nearly two weeks of fighting between the United States and Iran.
Washington warned that any further attacks on US troops or Saudi energy infrastructure would prompt additional military action.
In response, US warplanes struck locations in Iraq that Washington says have been used by Iran-backed armed groups to launch recent attacks. Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said several people were killed and others injured in the strikes.
The renewed confrontation also affected global energy markets. Brent crude prices climbed after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they had intercepted and halted three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz that they alleged were using an “illegal” shipping route.
The latest escalation follows a weekend lull in fighting during which both sides refrained from launching attacks, raising hopes of diplomatic progress. US President Donald Trump had earlier said there was a “good chance” negotiations could help end the conflict.
The militias have denied involvement. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed factions, rejected the allegations and suggested the attacks were carried out by Yemen’s Houthi movement, which has claimed responsibility for strikes targeting Saudi oil facilities and shipping.
The Houthis have also announced a blockade of Saudi shipping routes, increasing concerns over maritime security in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a tanker transiting the southern Red Sea heard nearby explosions but confirmed that the vessel and its crew remained safe.
