Iran launched a fresh barrage of missiles targeting U.S. forces in the Middle East early Wednesday, while American and Saudi forces carried out coordinated airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, raising fears of renewed regional escalation after several days of relative calm.
According to The Associated Press (AP), Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it fired ballistic missiles at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and the headquarters of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Jordan. Jordan’s military said it intercepted and destroyed five incoming missiles, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The U.S. military later announced that American and Saudi fighter aircraft struck logistics and weapons sites used by Iran-backed militias in eastern Iraq following alleged drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Saudi Arabia said it does not seek further escalation but would respond to any attacks on its territory.
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of mainly Shiite armed groups officially linked to Iraq’s security forces, said at least 20 fighters were killed and 32 others wounded in the strikes. The PMF has frequently been accused of maintaining close ties with Iran despite its formal integration into Iraq’s armed forces.
Iraqi President Nizar Amidi’s office condemned the U.S.-Saudi operation, describing it as a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and an attack on the country’s official security institutions.
The renewed violence comes after international mediators had expressed optimism about restarting U.S.-Iran negotiations, but diplomatic efforts reportedly stalled following continued tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route.
The latest escalation also unsettled global energy markets, with Brent crude rising more than 3% as investors weighed the risk of further disruption to oil supplies from the Middle East.
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