US Launches Strikes on Iran Following Attack on American Troops
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media that U.S. forces have begun launching strikes against Iran in response to last‑week Iranian attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan and on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
These operations are described by U.S. officials as ‘a powerful response’ to Iranian actions that, according to CENTCOM, were carried out ‘in retaliation for the acts of aggression’ of the United States. The Pentagon’s statement highlighted a broader pattern of Iranian strikes on U.S. military sites and at sea.
The attacks come after a week of relative quiet, when the United States and Saudi Arabia announced joint strikes on Iranian proxy forces operating in eastern Iraq. The Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a group largely backed by Iran, reported casualties as a result of the U.S.‑Saudi campaign and warned that it ‘has been an unacceptable violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.’
The conflict traces back to a February exchange when the United States and Israel conducted military strikes on Iranian targets, a move U.S. President Donald Trump said would be short‑lived. The tensions persisted, and by May U.S. forces were conducting a sustained campaign that involved multiple nights of bombardment, leading to significant military casualties on both sides.
Diplomatic efforts have surfaced amid the fighting. Trump has met with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid Bin Salman, who reportedly conveyed that Saudi Arabia seeks to de‑escalate the fray. Trump has called the talks ‘very friendly negotiations,’ while Tehran has denied that any meaningful discussions are underway.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has responded with targeted strikes on a U.S. air base and command centre in Jordan, declaring the attacks as ‘in response to the acts of aggression of the American child‑killing army.’ The IRGC also said its naval forces hit three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after they ignored warnings, describing the route as unsafe and illegal.
The United States has said it coordinates with the Iraqi government on operations in the region. President Trump, speaking to Fox News, stressed that the strikes were a coordinated effort aimed at hitting Iranian targets across the Middle East. The broader context remains a sharp divide between Iran and Saudi Arabia, rooted in longstanding sectarian and geopolitical rivalry.
