US thwarts Iran's 'surprise attack' and launches strikes with Saudi Arabia against Iraq militias
The US has conducted fresh air strikes in Iraq alongside Saudi Arabia following a wave of drone attacks by Iran-backed militant groups. In retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps launched ballistic missiles at US military bases in Jordan, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions.
Why it matters
This cycle of military escalation threatens to destabilize the Middle East and disrupt global oil supplies, impacting international security and energy markets.
A satellite image shows a trail of smoke rising from an oil facility in Jizan, Saudi Arabia. ( Reuters Photo: European Union/Copernicus Sentinel 2 )
This is your three-minute briefing on the key developments overnight in the Middle East.
Link copied Share Share article Hello. It is day 42 since the ceasefire between the United States and Iran was signed and 21 days since strikes resumed.
Here's what you need to know to catch up quickly.
The US says it has carried out fresh air strikes in Iraq alongside Saudi Arabia, targeting Iran-backed militant groups after a wave of drone attacks on US forces.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) later said they fired several ballistic missiles at a US air base and a US military Central Command centre in Jordan, in what they described as a response to US actions against Iranian interests.
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