Jordan intercepts Iranian missiles as US, Saudi forces strike Iran-backed militias in Iraq
Jordan intercepted five Iranian missiles early Wednesday as the United States and Saudi Arabia launched strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, marking a renewed escalation in fighting after a brief pause in hostilities.
Jordan's military said its air defences intercepted and destroyed the missiles, while Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force had fired ballistic missiles at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and the US military's Central Command headquarters in Jordan.
The US Central Command said its forces remained "vigilant and at a high state of readiness" after the missile barrage. It also said US and Saudi fighter aircraft had struck multiple logistics and weapons sites in eastern Iraq used by Iran-backed militias to launch attacks in recent days.
The US military said the strikes were in response to more than 30 drone attacks directed by the IRGC against US forces over the previous 72 hours. It warned that further attacks on American troops or Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure could trigger additional military action.
The Saudi Defence Ministry confirmed the strikes and said the kingdom did not seek escalation but would respond to any aggression.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi called an emergency meeting of the country's National Security Council to discuss the US-Saudi strikes. The Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Shiite armed factions that is officially part of Iraq's military, said the attacks killed and wounded several of its personnel and damaged buildings and property.
The latest escalation follows about three days of relative calm after weeks of fighting linked to tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which about 20% of the world's traded oil normally passes.
Saudi Arabia has also reported drone attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq for a second consecutive day. The Iraqi government has ordered an investigation and said it would prevent its territory from being used to launch attacks against other countries.
The militias have denied responsibility for the drone attacks. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed factions, dismissed Saudi claims as fabrications and suggested the attacks may have been carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Meanwhile, Iran's state-run IRNA reported that the Revolutionary Guard's navy had struck and stopped three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging the vessels had ignored warnings and continued along an "unsafe and illegal route." The report did not identify the vessels, and there was no immediate independent confirmation of the claims.
The Houthis have separately claimed attacks on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, raising concerns over disruptions in another major regional shipping route.
The latest fighting comes after four US troops were killed in the conflict and as the Pentagon seeks additional funding from Congress to cover the rising costs of US military operations.
