US launches heavy wave of strikes on Iran after ballistic missile attack on Jordan base, ending fragile pause

The US strikes

The United States launched a heavy wave of airstrikes against Iran overnight, targeting dozens of facilities belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). CENTCOM said the operation ran from 20:00 to 22:00 US East Coast time on Wednesday and struck military command centers, missile and drone installations, coastal surveillance and defense positions, and naval capabilities. The strikes hit locations including Qeshm island, Abadan, Ahvaz, Kish, Bandar Abbas, and Bushehr. Qeshm, near the Strait of Hormuz, is used for storing attack boats, drones, and sea mines. A US official told the Wall Street Journal the operation was larger than previous limited strikes but did not mark a full return to large-scale combat. Washington said the goal was to reduce threats to American forces, commercial shipping, and Gulf neighbors.

The Iranian missile attack

The US operation was a direct response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack on American military installations in Jordan. Iran launched five missiles overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, according to President Trump. All were intercepted, and US forces had only a few minutes to react. Trump said he watched video of soldiers transmitting coordinates in real time. The attack broke a days-long pause in hostilities and was the first time Iran restarted direct strikes without a new US provocation.

Trump's warnings

Hours before the US strikes, Trump issued a series of threats. On Fox News Wednesday morning, he said, "We will crush them," and "They will suffer a heavy blow." Later, in the Oval Office, he stated:

“Now it's our turn to hit them very hard. They know what's coming.”

He added that Iran had asked the US not to retaliate, but "they tried to hit us." Trump said five missiles were launched at 8,500 miles per hour and all were intercepted. He left open the possibility of a future agreement: "We'll see if we reach a deal at some point." He also said he wants tariffs on Iran added to a Russia sanctions bill.

Egypt tanker incident

On the same day, a drone struck the Energos Winter, a gas storage ship in Egypt's Damietta port, causing a fire that spread to the Greek-owned GasLog Salem. Egypt's oil ministry confirmed a fire but did not attribute it to a drone. The British maritime security firm Ambrey said a drone hit a US-interests vessel. No group claimed responsibility. Trump said he was briefed and "it will be taken care of," while awaiting reports on whether Iran was linked.

Iraq strikes and wider war

Also on Wednesday, US and Saudi Arabian aircraft conducted joint strikes on pro-Iranian Shiite militias in Iraq, coordinated with the Iraqi government. The strikes killed at least 20 people, including five Iranians, and wounded 32, according to the Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary network. Trump called the militias "a cancer for the world" and said further measures were being considered. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq threatened retaliation:

“Our retaliation against the American enemy is inevitable and we may strike its tools in Saudi Arabia.”

The war began on February 28, 2026, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, and Tehran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases. Thousands have died and millions have been displaced. Iran this week rejected an Omani proposal for joint management of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices rose sharply for the first time since last week.