rki.news | Sources: Xinhua
A brief pause in tensions between the United States and Iran ended on Wednesday as Tehran launched missile attacks targeting US forces and regional defenses, raising concerns over regional stability.
The US military said it intercepted an attempted Iranian missile attack targeting American troops in the Middle East. Jordan’s armed forces also reported detecting and destroying five missiles launched from Iran toward the kingdom.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed launching ballistic missiles at US military facilities in Jordan, saying the action was in response to what it described as continued US threats and military pressure.
The latest escalation followed a short period of relative calm after Washington suspended its bombing campaign and Tehran appeared to halt retaliatory attacks.
Hours after the missile strikes, the United States and Saudi Arabia carried out coordinated airstrikes against Iran-backed militia targets in eastern Iraq. Washington and Riyadh said the operation targeted locations used for drone attacks against US forces and Saudi energy facilities.
The Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) said several of its bases were hit, describing the strikes as a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, talks over the Strait of Hormuz remained stalled. Oman proposed a Gulf-backed mechanism for managing the strategic waterway, but Iran rejected the plan, while the US said the strait should remain open for international navigation.