US-Iran conflict enters new phase as Saudi Arabia joins strikes and diplomacy stalls

The stop-start conflict between the United States and Iran entered a new phase as Saudi Arabia joined the U.S. in striking Iran-backed militias in Iraq, while diplomatic efforts to end the fighting stalled amid deepening mistrust between the longtime adversaries.

The renewed military action came after several days of relative calm and raised fears that the conflict could again spiral into a wider regional war. Iran said it launched ballistic missiles at a key U.S. military base in Jordan, while U.S. and Saudi forces struck logistics and weapons sites used by Iran-backed militias in Iraq.

The developments have further complicated efforts to revive diplomacy, with no clear path toward negotiations. Iran's deputy foreign minister said Tuesday that Tehran had not requested a resumption of talks in more than two weeks.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, alternated between threats of further military action and the possibility of renewed negotiations.

"They've already apologised, but, you know, we got to smack them a little bit," Trump said Wednesday in the Oval Office. "It's our turn, and we'll see if we get there with an agreement at some point. But we're going to hit them very hard."

The latest escalation comes at a difficult time for the Trump administration, with the conflict unpopular among many Americans, global energy markets under pressure and the November midterm elections approaching.

The fighting has also raised concerns over U.S. military stockpiles, particularly Patriot and THAAD missile interceptors used to protect American troops and allies. A recent analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies said the conflict had further reduced U.S. interceptor inventories.

Saudi Arabia enters the conflict

Iran said it fired ballistic missiles at Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a key U.S. military facility in the region. Trump said the missiles were intercepted.

The U.S. military later joined Saudi forces in striking multiple sites in eastern Iraq that had been used by Iran-backed militias to launch attacks.

The strikes followed drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and marked the first publicly announced joint U.S.-Saudi military action in the conflict. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, said the two developments were not directly connected.

The conflict also appeared to widen elsewhere. Drone strikes sparked fires on two natural gas vessels at a port in Egypt, a U.S. ally and regional mediator that has largely avoided direct military action during the war. It was not immediately clear who was responsible.

The U.S.-Saudi strikes came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump at the White House.

An Israeli official briefed on the meeting said Netanyahu had assured Trump that Washington, rather than Israel, was directing the U.S. approach toward Iran.

At the same time, some Israeli officials have privately expressed concern that Trump is seeking to keep the conflict limited as the midterm elections approach. They are also worried about rising oil prices and the depletion of U.S. missile interceptors as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to global energy shipments, according to people familiar with the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. military has used significant quantities of Patriot and THAAD interceptors during the conflict. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has told Trump that the state of U.S. munitions stockpiles could affect future military operations, according to a U.S. official who spoke anonymously to discuss private conversations.

Diplomacy remains stalled

The Trump administration currently does not appear to be actively pursuing direct negotiations with Iran, according to a senior U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Some mediators have attempted to restart talks or establish conditions for their resumption, but the latest military escalation has made an immediate return to diplomacy unlikely.

Analysts say deepening mistrust between Washington and Tehran is a major obstacle, particularly after an interim ceasefire agreement reached in mid-June collapsed.

Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said senior Iranian officials had initially been broadly supportive of the agreement but now no longer viewed Trump as a reliable negotiating partner.

"The problem, I think, is that Trump also has now the same impression about the Iranians," Vaez said.

The latest cycle of military action and failed diplomacy reflects decades of strained relations between the two countries.

The 2015 nuclear deal, negotiated under President Barack Obama, was the first major agreement between Washington and Tehran in decades. But Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2018 and imposed a campaign of sanctions on Iran.

The relationship deteriorated further after the U.S. killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

The history of failed agreements and military confrontations has left both sides increasingly distrustful, making a diplomatic breakthrough more difficult even as the costs of continued conflict grow.