Iran launched a surprise ballistic missile attack on American military positions in Jordan and Iraq on Tuesday, shattering a three-day pause in hostilities that had raised tentative hopes for diplomatic progress. US Central Command confirmed it detected and intercepted multiple incoming missiles, though the Wall Street Journal reported that at least one Iranian missile struck housing units for US troops at a base in Jordan.
The attack marks the first time Iran has fired directly on US forces since President Donald Trump paused American airstrikes on Friday, describing the halt as an opportunity to give negotiations space. Tehran had denied that direct talks were taking place even as Trump insisted that discussions were underway and that there was a good chance something could come of them.
In response to the Iranian barrage, the US military coordinated with Saudi Arabia to strike Iran-backed militia targets inside Iraq, according to Central Command. The Saudi role underscores the deepening regional dimension of the conflict, with Gulf Arab states increasingly drawn into the fighting as Iran has targeted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and fired on energy infrastructure.
The surprise attack represents a significant escalation after what had been the longest stretch of quiet since the conflict reignited in mid-July. Until Friday, US forces had conducted strikes on Iranian military infrastructure for 13 consecutive nights after Iran resumed attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on July 13, effectively unraveling a ceasefire that had been signed in June.
US air defense systems, including Patriot batteries that Trump said were being rushed to the region, intercepted several of the incoming ballistic missiles. However, the WSJ report of a missile hitting troop housing units suggests the defensive screen was not entirely impenetrable. Casualty figures from the latest attack have not yet been released by the Pentagon.
The renewed fighting comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded his visit to Washington, where he held back-to-back meetings with Trump at the White House. The two leaders discussed coordination on the Iran file, among other issues, as the conflict that began on February 28 continues to reshape the strategic landscape of the Middle East.
Tensions have been building since the US and Israel launched their initial strikes against Iran in late February. Tehran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at US military bases in Gulf states and at targets inside Israel. After a ceasefire in April and a memorandum of understanding in June, hostilities appeared to be winding down before the July 13 tanker attacks reopened the conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint. Iran has repeatedly threatened to restrict traffic through the waterway, through which about a fifth of the world oil passes. The renewed fighting has already sent oil prices swinging violently, with crude surging past $100 a barrel earlier this month before dipping during the brief pause.
Analysts say the surprise missile attack complicates any path toward negotiations. Trump had expressed optimism about talks during the lull, saying there was a good chance something could happen. But Iran decision to resume direct military action against US forces suggests either that no genuine negotiating channel exists or that hardliners in Tehran have moved to undercut any diplomatic opening.
The US military said it retains the right to respond to the attack in self-defense and at a time and place of its choosing. Central Command noted that the joint operation with Saudi Arabia against Iranian proxy targets in Iraq was already underway when the missile barrage was detected.
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