Symbolic imageIran strikes US positions in Jordan, US answers with strikes across Iran
Iran's Revolutionary Guard fired ballistic missiles at US positions in Jordan on Wednesday, the 152nd day of the war, ending a short pause in hostilities. Jordan's military said it shot down five missiles and reported no casualties or damage. Hours later the Pentagon said it had completed a heavy series of strikes on dozens of IRGC targets inside Iran, while US and Saudi aircraft also hit Iran-aligned militia sites in Iraq.
What happened
Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) launched missile attacks on US positions in Jordan on Wednesday, framing the move as a response to "threats of the U.S. authorities and illegal interventions against [Iran's] interests". The Jordanian military said it shot down five Iranian missiles, CENTCOM says its forces intercepted the incoming fire, and no casualties or damage have been reported. US President Donald Trump told Fox News he would give Iran "a beating" in retaliation for what he called Iran's "surprise attack". The Pentagon then said it had finished a heavy series of strikes and that dozens of IRGC targets were hit; Iranian state media reported attacks on the island of Qeshm and the city of Shadegan. Overnight, US and Saudi aircraft struck Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces, which Washington and Riyadh say were behind attacks on Saudi oil facilities; AP, citing two Iraqi militia officials who spoke anonymously, reported that six Iranian advisers were killed in that strike. Brent crude stood at $90 a barrel on Wednesday morning, and AAA put the US average price of regular gasoline at $4.09 a gallon.
The view from outside
Le Monde, one of several outlets here from outside the belligerents (alongside Al Jazeera, TASS, the South China Morning Post and Global Times), reports the exchange through two sets of claims it does not adjudicate: the Pentagon's count of dozens of IRGC targets struck, and Iranian state media's account of hits on Qeshm and Shadegan. Its live coverage also notes new US sanctions on Iranian entities linked to the Revolutionary Guard. Al Jazeera (Qatar), the South China Morning Post and Global Times (China) are among the available sources, though no other Global South outlet is present.
What could happen next
The pause in the exchange of strikes, which had held since 24 July, is over, and the geography of the war has widened: the South China Morning Post reports that attacks on Iraq and Egypt on the same day threatened to expand its scope. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran has rejected Oman's proposal for joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, and Reuters reports the Houthis are considering tolling maritime traffic in the Red Sea; the Kpler tracker showed an uptick in commercial shipping, with 12 confirmed crossings of Hormuz and 41 of the Bab el-Mandeb. The Wall Street Journal reports that the US commander in the region is working to a two-week plan for escalating strikes inside Iran, which would put further rounds against IRGC infrastructure on the table. Asked about additional measures, Trump said he would like tariffs imposed on Iran, alongside the sanctions already announced against IRGC-linked entities.
Iran: The Revolutionary Guard presents the missile launches at US positions in Jordan as a response to US threats and interventions against Iranian interests, and Tehran has rejected Oman's proposal for joint management of the Strait of Hormuz.
United States: Washington calls the launches a surprise attack, has promised and carried out retaliatory strikes on dozens of IRGC targets, and is adding sanctions and possible tariffs.
Also involved