Iran launched an attempted surprise ballistic missile attack on US forces based in the Middle East on Wednesday, shattering a two-week pause in hostilities and sending oil prices sharply higher as Washington and Tehran traded threats.
US Central Command said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired multiple ballistic missiles targeting American troops across the region. All were intercepted, with Jordan reporting five interceptions over its territory. The IRGC confirmed it targeted a US airbase and Central Command center in Jordan with several ballistic missiles.
"As long as threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran continue and illegal and vicious actions by American forces against our interests continue, the resistance will continue," the IRGC said in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB.
The attack came as President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, with the Israeli leader pushing for a more aggressive posture toward Tehran. Speaking from Washington, Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher said the timing was deliberate. "This is Iran sending a message to Trump that they need to be involved in all discussions," he said.
Jason Campbell, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Al Jazeera that Tehran is "trying to retake the initiative and the momentum with these latest attacks. Iran has expressed scepticism that the US engages in these pauses between attacks to prepare for another phase of violence, so Tehran likely thinks the US is doing just that with this latest pause."
US oil futures jumped more than 4 percent to above 2 a barrel, while Brent crude climbed past 8 a barrel after the US military confirmed the Iranian attack. Prices had been sliding earlier as Washington’s suspension of strikes on Iran continued and traders monitored reports of renewed talks.
Trump had called off a two-week bombing campaign against Iran on July 24, saying at the time that "good talks" were underway. But the latest escalation threatens to unravel any diplomatic progress. The president has threatened to restart strikes if negotiations stall, while Iran has denied seeking to resume talks with Washington.
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar described the move as a "pre-emptive attack, not a reactionary measure" from the Iranians. "After 13 consecutive days of constant bombing, in the tit-for-tat US-Iran exchanges, these latest attacks will most definitely have an impact on the mediation efforts," he said.
The attack marks one of the most direct confrontations between US and Iranian forces since the conflict escalated this summer, and raises the prospect of a renewed cycle of retaliation that could draw in regional allies and further disrupt global energy markets.
