- US launched fresh strikes on Iran, responding to prior attacks.
- Iran targeted US bases, rejected Strait of Hormuz proposal.
- US-Saudi strikes killed Iraqi fighters amidst escalating tensions.
- Global oil prices jumped over eight percent following escalation.
The United States launched fresh strikes on Iran late Wednesday, the US military said, marking another sharp escalation in a conflict that has raged for five months and is increasingly drawing more countries across the Middle East into the fighting.
US Central Command said the operation began at 8pm ET (0000 GMT), describing it as a direct response to what it called Iran’s attempted attacks on American forces stationed in the region a day earlier.
“The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on US forces based in the Middle East,” CENTCOM said in a statement, confirming the latest military action.
Trump Promises Strong Response
The latest strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump vowed to retaliate against Iran for firing on American troops. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said it was now America’s turn to respond.
“So it’s our turn,” Trump said, adding that the United States would “hit them very hard”. At the same time, he reiterated that Washington remained committed to pursuing a peace agreement with Tehran despite the ongoing military confrontation.
Iran, meanwhile, confirmed overnight that it had targeted US bases in Jordan and ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran also rejected an Omani proposal for the joint management of the strategic waterway, a crucial route for global oil and gas shipments.
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Regional Tensions Spread Beyond Iran
Earlier on Wednesday, a drone struck a US-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey. The incident came as US and Saudi forces carried out strikes against Iran-aligned groups in eastern Iraq, while Iran launched missiles at US troops stationed in Jordan.
The war began in February after the United States and Israel launched a bombing campaign in Iran that Trump had said would last only a few weeks. A temporary ceasefire reached in June later collapsed as fighting resumed over control of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran says it now controls.
The widening conflict has increasingly expanded beyond its original fronts, drawing neighbouring countries into the crisis and raising concerns about broader regional instability.
Oil Prices Jump As Markets React
Global oil markets reacted sharply to the latest escalation. Brent crude futures climbed more than 8 per cent on Wednesday, pushing the international benchmark above $90 a barrel.
The surge reversed much of the decline recorded earlier in the week after Trump unexpectedly paused US strikes, a move that had briefly eased fears of a prolonged disruption to energy supplies.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes, making developments in the region closely watched by global energy markets.
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Iraq Strikes Leave Dozens Dead
The joint US-Saudi strikes marked the first publicly acknowledged military operation conducted by Riyadh alongside Washington during the conflict.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, the Iran-backed paramilitary groups that form part of the country’s security apparatus, said at least 20 of its members were killed, and 32 others wounded after several bases across Iraq were targeted.
Following the attacks, mourners carried the bodies of slain fighters through the streets while chanting “Death to America!”. Washington and Riyadh said the strikes were carried out in response to drone attacks launched from Iraq against Saudi oil facilities by Iran-backed armed groups.
