Ballistic missile surprise attack

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched multiple ballistic missiles at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on Tuesday, 28 July, at 17:45 EDT (21:45 GMT). The US Central Command (CENTCOM) called it an attempted surprise attack and said all projectiles were intercepted. Initial US assessments indicated the salvo numbered at most four missiles.

“Today at 5:45 p.m. EDT, IRGC forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on US forces stationed in the Middle East. All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted. US forces remain vigilant and in a heightened state of alert.”

The strike was the first ballistic missile bombardment of a US base in the region since President Donald Trump called off a bombing campaign against Iran the previous Friday to give diplomacy a chance.

Joint US‑Saudi retaliation in Iraq

Hours after the interception, American and Saudi fighter jets struck what CENTCOM described as logistics bases and weapons depots of Iran‑aligned terrorists in eastern Iraq. The operation was a direct response to more than 30 drone attacks that the IRGC had coordinated over the preceding 72 hours, some of which targeted Saudi energy infrastructure.

“US and Saudi fighter jets struck numerous logistical sites and weapons depots of terrorists in eastern Iraq, as a firm response to over 30 aerial drone attacks directed by the IRGC over the last 72 hours.”

A US official told CNN that the IRGC had launched the weekend drone attacks on Saudi partners without any provocation. "This is a clear message that we will not leave these attempts without a reply," the official said. Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry confirmed its participation, warning that the kingdom does not seek escalation but will respond to any aggression.

The strikes also followed Saudi interceptions of drones launched from Iraq that were aimed at the kingdom’s eastern oil facilities.

Strait of Hormuz and the tanker gambit

Separately, the IRGC announced on Wednesday that its forces had struck three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and forced them to stop after they ignored warnings about travelling through an "unsafe and illegal" route. The Guard’s navy insisted it remained in full control of the strategic waterway and that illegal US military interference would not go unanswered.

“The illegal US military interference and the instructions given to vessels in the region will not go unanswered.”

Reuters was unable to immediately verify the IRGC’s account. The Strait of Hormuz had carried roughly one‑fifth of global oil and LNG production before the war, and Oman had just proposed a new regional agreement aimed at defusing the conflict over the passage.

A diplomatic window snaps shut

Hostilities resumed after a three‑night pause during which neither side had announced attacks. Trump had told reporters on Monday that talks with Iran were "very friendly," but Tehran denied any negotiations were underway. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei flatly contradicted the president.

“We are not holding negotiations with the United States at present.”

Trump had warned that "not much time left. It goes quickly or not at all." The three‑day lull followed a 13‑day US bombing campaign in southern Iran that struck what Washington said were military infrastructure, including tunnels and bridges, and reportedly killed dozens.

What happens next

Washington signalled that further attacks on US troops or Saudi energy infrastructure risk additional measures. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi convened an emergency session of the National Security Council on Wednesday to discuss the strikes on its territory, but neither Baghdad nor Tehran had publicly reacted to the CENTCOM announcement by Wednesday morning. The IRGC’s simultaneous escalation in the Strait of Hormuz added a maritime front to a conflict that had been dominated by cross‑border air and missile exchanges.