The United States military launched a new series of strikes targeting Iran in the early morning hours, US Central Command confirmed. The offensive action was described as a "powerful response" to Iran's attempted missile attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East the previous night.
President Donald Trump had previously threatened a forceful retaliation after U.S. troops in Jordan were targeted. He stated that Iran "will get a beating" and that "it's our turn to hit them." Trump also indicated a willingness to impose tariffs on Iran in addition to existing sanctions.
US Central Command reported that all Iranian missiles launched at U.S. forces in Jordan were successfully intercepted. Separately, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia conducted strikes against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq the previous night, which CENTCOM stated was in retaliation for a series of drone attacks, distinct from the missile incident in Jordan. Trump said these U.S.-Saudi strikes were coordinated with the Iraqi government.
This latest escalation follows a brief lull in hostilities. A multi-day period of relative quiet had broken a streak of 13 consecutive days of fighting after the expiration of a June memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran. The ongoing conflict has seen intermittent pauses as the U.S. seeks to influence Iran's actions regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier in the week, Trump had alluded to considering a substantial escalation against Iran. Concerns have been raised regarding the potential strain on the U.S. supply of certain air defense munitions, such as Patriot missile interceptors, if the conflict intensifies. The possibility of striking Iran's nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain has also been a subject of discussion, with Trump having recently addressed this with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.