US and Iran exchange attacks as tensions escalate in the Middle East
Iran launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan, prompting retaliatory strikes by U.S. and Saudi forces, as the conflict widens with new sanctions and regional involvement.
Iran launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan, sparking retaliatory strikes by U.S. and Saudi forces and escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it fired the missiles at the base, a key hub for U.S. forces in the region. Jordan’s military reported intercepting five missiles, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Hours later, U.S. and Saudi fighter jets struck logistics and weapons sites used by Iran-backed militias in Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters. Iraqi militia officials said six Iranian advisers were also killed in the strikes.
Saudi Arabia accused the militias of attacking its oil facilities with drones, while the U.S. said Iran directed more than 30 drone attacks over three days against Saudi infrastructure. The U.S. stated these attacks prompted the joint strikes.
President Donald Trump vowed retaliation against Iran for targeting U.S. troops, saying in an expletive-filled statement that the U.S. “will be hitting them hard.”
Iran rejected an Oman-backed proposal to manage ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the vital oil waterway would never return to its prewar situation.
Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the conflict is significant, providing the U.S. with a powerful regional partner. However, it also risks widening the conflict and making Saudi Arabia a larger target for Iran and its proxies. Saudi Arabia stated it does not seek escalation but will respond to attacks against it.
The U.S. also announced new sanctions against Iran. The Treasury Department sanctioned two Iranian companies accused of forcing commercial ships to buy mandatory insurance to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with some payments reportedly made using Bitcoin and other digital assets to fund Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
Additionally, the U.S. sanctioned eight shipping companies and eight tankers accused of secretly transporting millions of barrels of Iranian oil.