Jordan intercepts Iranian missiles as US and Saudi Arabia strike militias in Iraq

Key Points:

• Jordan’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed five missiles launched from Iran targeting a Jordanian air base and the U.S. Central Command headquarters, marking a resumption of hostilities after a brief lull.
• The U.S. and Saudi Arabia conducted airstrikes on Iran-backed militia sites in Iraq in response to over 30 drone attacks on American and Saudi targets, with the U.S. warning of further action if attacks continue.
• Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi called an emergency National Security Council meeting following the strikes, while Iraqi militias denied involvement in recent drone attacks attributed to Iran-backed groups.
• Iran rejected an Omani proposal to jointly manage shipping traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, offering a counterproposal for vessel transit and signaling a refusal to return to pre-conflict conditions.
• Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy claimed to have struck three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz for ignoring warnings, though there was no independent confirmation; meanwhile, Houthi rebels claimed attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, escalating tensions in key regional waterways.