The latest
Several days of calm between the US and Iran ended as missiles, drones and airstrikes returned across the region. US Central Command said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a surprise ballistic-missile attack on American forces and that every projectile was intercepted.
Jordan’s armed forces said their air defenses destroyed five missiles launched from Iran toward the kingdom. The US and Saudi Arabia then struck Popular Mobilization Forces positions across several Iraqi provinces after blaming Tehran-linked groups for dozens of drone attacks on American forces and Saudi oil facilities.
The escalation came a day after Donald Trump described contacts with Iran as “very friendly” and met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Its timing exposed the fragility of efforts to reopen Hormuz as a first step toward formal nuclear negotiations and a permanent end to the war.
Details
- US account: Central Command said all Iranian missiles were intercepted and that 30 drone attacks targeting American forces during the previous 72 hours had failed.
- Iranian account: State media said the Revolutionary Guards targeted a US airbase and command center in response to “aggressive US actions,” without identifying a specific operation.
- Jordanian defense: Amman said its monitoring systems detected five missiles before air-defense units destroyed them under established rules of engagement.
- Iraq strikes: US-Saudi operations hit Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters across several provinces, with the deadliest attack reported in Nineveh.
- Casualties: Iraqi faction sources told Agence France-Presse that at least 10 members were killed, with injuries elsewhere and the death toll expected to rise.
- Saudi position: Riyadh described the strikes as self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and accused Iran-backed groups of choosing escalation.
- Iraqi response: The Popular Mobilization Forces called the attacks a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and said official security institutions, personnel and property were hit.
- Tanker claim: Iranian state media claimed Tehran struck and halted three tankers using a route it described as unsafe and illegal.
- Market reaction: Brent crude rose more than 4% to about $87.50 a barrel, rebounding from its biggest three-day decline since April 2020.
- Washington meeting: Trump and Netanyahu described their talks positively. Israel said it would respond if attacked but would leave the broader course to the US president.
Between the lines
The attack does not necessarily end diplomacy, but it shows that the pause never became a binding ceasefire. Each side is using force to improve its position: Tehran is applying pressure through military bases and shipping, Washington is retaliating without immediately returning to a broad campaign, and Riyadh has moved from intercepting drones to striking their launch networks.
What to watch
Iran’s response to the Iraq strikes, the final casualty toll and shipping through Hormuz will indicate whether the exchange can be contained. The diplomatic outlook also depends on whether Omani mediators can overcome Tehran’s rejection of shared control over the strait and whether Trump chooses restraint or renewed major operations.
