US strikes Iran again as conflict widens to Iraq and Egypt; Hamas disarmament talks reported
US Central Command launched a new wave of airstrikes on Iran on Thursday night after Iranian missile attacks on American forces in Jordan and Kuwait, while joint US-Saudi strikes killed 20 militia fighters in Iraq and a suspected drone hit an LNG terminal in Egypt.
US strikes Iran after attacks on Jordan and Kuwait
The US launched a new wave of airstrikes on Iran on Thursday night, Centcom announced, calling it a "determined response" to Iranian attacks on US forces in Jordan and Kuwait the previous day. The strikes began at 8 p.m. East Coast time. Earlier, the US had ended a previous wave of attacks on Iranian targets. The Iranian attacks on Jordan involved older-generation missiles, which Middle East expert Simon Wolfgang Fuchs interpreted as a signal of readiness for further escalation rather than an attempt to cause maximum damage.
Wir sind wieder in einer Dynamik gefangen, in der völlig unklar ist, wo sie hinführen soll.
US-Saudi strikes kill 20 militia fighters in Iraq
On Wednesday, US and Saudi fighter jets bombed positions of pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), according to the militia. Centcom said the militias had been "instructed" by Iran's Revolutionary Guard to attack US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure, and had carried out more than two dozen drone attacks recently. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq threatened retaliation. Iraq condemned the strikes as a "blatant violation of sovereignty". President Trump claimed the operation was coordinated with Baghdad, which the Iraqi government denied.
Conflict reaches Egypt's Mediterranean coast
A suspected drone attack caused an explosion at a US LNG terminal in Damietta, Egypt, at the Mediterranean end of the Suez Canal. The attack drew Egypt into the widening conflict. Iran also warned Bulgaria and Cyprus over their hosting of US military assets. Meanwhile, drone attacks were reported in Erbil, northern Iraq, and Hezbollah launched its first drone attack since a new ceasefire.
Diplomatic moves and economic pressure
Amid the fighting, reports emerged of progress in talks on the complete disarmament of Hamas, though Israel denied any advances. Saudi Arabia announced a new alliance to protect shipping in the region. The US imposed fresh sanctions on Iran, targeting tankers. The Strait of Hormuz remains impassable, and Iran's oil exports have fallen back after a brief increase during a preliminary ceasefire. Iranian state media are calling for national unity as economic pressure mounts.
Sie werden ordentlich Prügel kriegen.
Timeline of escalation
The sequence of events shows a rapid widening of the conflict across multiple countries.
- US and Saudi Arabia strike pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, killing at least 20 PMF fighters.
- Iran launches missile attacks on US forces in Jordan and Kuwait.
- Explosion at US LNG terminal in Damietta, Egypt, suspected drone attack.
- US launches new airstrikes on Iran in response to the Jordan and Kuwait attacks.
- US imposes new sanctions on Iran targeting tankers.
- Hezbollah conducts first drone attack since the new ceasefire.
What's next
The escalation shows no clear off-ramp. Iran is focused on the US midterm elections in November, Fuchs said, and has signaled it will continue its current approach until then. The US military faces limits in its ability to deter Iranian proxies across multiple fronts.
