US launches strikes on Iran after attack on American forces in Jordan

The US military has started launching strikes against Iran after an attempted surprise attack on American forces in the Middle East. US Central Command (Centcom) announced the operation on 24 July, describing it as a response to Iranian actions targeting US bases in Jordan and ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Centcom said the strikes were a direct reaction to Tuesday’s attacks, as reported by the BBC.

The latest escalation follows joint US-Saudi airstrikes on Iranian-backed groups in Iraq. Those strikes, the first publicly acknowledged joint operation between the two countries, hit multiple sites linked to Iranian proxies. Centcom stated the targets included logistics and weapons facilities, which it said were used to launch over 30 drone attacks in the previous 72 hours, according to the BBC.

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Casualties and diplomatic fallout

Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a paramilitary group dominated by Iran-backed Shia militias, reported that at least 20 of its members were killed in the US-Saudi strikes. The Iraqi presidency condemned the attacks, calling them an unacceptable violation of Iraq’s sovereignty. The BBC reported the presidency’s statement, which demanded an end to such actions.

US President Donald Trump, however, told Fox News that the strikes were coordinated with the Iraqi government. The claim contradicts Iraq’s official position. The White House has not responded to requests for comment from the BBC regarding the discrepancy.

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Iran’s role and regional tensions

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted a US air base and a command centre in Jordan in response to what it called American aggression. The IRGC also claimed its naval forces struck three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after the vessels ignored warnings, as reported by the BBC.

The conflict has reignited after a brief pause in hostilities. Both sides had halted strikes for several days amid reports of diplomatic talks. Trump described the negotiations as very friendly, though Iran denied any discussions were taking place. Hours before the latest strikes, Trump told reporters at the White House that the US would retaliate strongly against Iran, saying they knew it was coming.

“We're going to be hitting them very hard because it's our turn to hit them. They know it's coming. They asked us not to do it.”

Donald Trump, US President

No end in sight

The current conflict began in February when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. At the time, Trump predicted the war would last only a few weeks. Five months later, there is no sign of a resolution. The BBC reported that Trump recently suspended a 13-night bombing campaign targeting Iranian military sites, which had resulted in scores of deaths.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have long competed for regional influence. Saudi Arabia, the leading Sunni Muslim power, and Iran, the largest Shia Muslim country, have been locked in a struggle for dominance across the Middle East. The latest strikes mark a further escalation in their proxy conflicts.

What happens next remains unclear. Axios reported that Saudi Arabia’s defence minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, conveyed a desire to de-escalate tensions during a meeting with Trump. The White House has not commented on the report. Diplomatic efforts appear stalled, with no immediate signs of a breakthrough.