(TNND) — The United States and Saudi Arabia launched retaliatory strikes Tuesday after what officials described as a “surprise attack” by Iran on military bases in the Middle East, ending a brief pause in the escalating conflict.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched multiple ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in the region, but all of them were intercepted.
“All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted. U.S. forces remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness,” CENTCOM said.
Jordan’s military also said it intercepted and destroyed five Iranian missiles early Wednesday. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said the missiles targeted the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and U.S. Central Command headquarters in Jordan.
In response, U.S. and Saudi forces carried out precision strikes against Iranian-aligned militants in Iraq, targeting logistics and weapons sites, according to the U.S. military.
U.S. and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” the military said. “The unwarranted attacks against U.S. forces were not successful.
Tuesday’s exchange shattered a short lull in the fighting after the Trump administration paused additional strikes over the weekend while signaling it wanted to give diplomacy a chance. Last week, President Donald Trump said the U.S. was “locked and loaded” for a potential military strike on Iran if negotiations failed.
The renewed violence came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House on Tuesday for his first meeting with Trump since Israel and the United States launched their joint military campaign against Iran five months ago.
The closed-door meeting ended without either leader publicly discussing the details, though the White House described the talks as “positive and productive.”
Ahead of the meeting, Trump acknowledged he and Netanyahu were not in complete agreement on Iran but said they remained closely aligned.
“We have a little difference,” Trump told reporters Monday. “But pretty close, yeah.”
Before leaving Israel, Netanyahu said Iran would be “at the forefront” of the discussions.
“We’ll discuss all the issues on the table, with Iran at the forefront,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also said he was traveling to Washington with the goal of strengthening Israel’s security and expanding regional peace efforts.
“Our goal is clear: to safeguard Israel’s security, strengthen its power, and expand the circle of peace around us,” Netanyahu wrote Monday on X. “I am embarking on this mission out of a deep commitment to ensure the security, strength, and future of the State of Israel.”