Smoke rises after an explosion at an unknown site during what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reports are strikes on Iran on July 29, 2026. — Reuters
– Ambery reports a drone struck a U.S. floating storage tanker.
– Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum confirms a fire at a port.
– Oil prices climb above $90 per barrel as diplomatic efforts stall.
The U.S. announced new strikes in Iran on Wednesday, escalating a conflict that has already lasted five months and spreading beyond its initial frontlines to involve additional regional countries.
“U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8:00 p.m. ET today,” according to a statement from CENTCOM. “These strikes are a strong response to Iran’s attempted attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East yesterday.”
Earlier that day, a drone attacked a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Damietta port, according to Ambrey, a British maritime security firm. Meanwhile, U.S. and Saudi forces targeted Iran-backed groups in eastern Iraq, and Iran launched missiles at U.S. troops in Jordan.
Egypt’s petroleum ministry confirmed a fire at the port but did not specify the cause. Responsibility for the attack remains unclear.
These recent strikes in Iraq and Egypt threaten to expand the conflict, particularly after Yemen’s Houthis declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia last week.
The Wednesday strikes in Iran followed President Donald Trump’s vow earlier in the day to retaliate against Iran for its attacks on U.S. forces.
“Now it’s our turn,” Trump told reporters at the White House, vowing to “hit them very hard,” while also stating that the U.S. continues to seek peace with Tehran.
Iran confirmed it fired on U.S. bases in Jordan and at ships in the Strait of Hormuz overnight and rejected an Omani proposal to jointly manage the strait, a vital maritime route for oil and gas.
The conflict began in February when the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. Trump initially claimed the campaign would last only a few weeks. However, a ceasefire in June collapsed amid renewed fighting over the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran now claims to control.
Oil prices surged Wednesday, with Brent crude rising over 8% to surpass $90 per barrel—reversing much of a recent decline after Trump unexpectedly halted U.S. strikes.
For the first time, Riyadh publicly joined U.S.-led strikes in a joint action.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces reported at least 20 fighters killed and 32 wounded in U.S.-Saudi strikes targeting several bases across the country. Iraqi civilians shouted “Death to America” as they carried the bodies of killed fighters.
U.S. and Saudi forces asserted their strikes targeted armed groups in Iraq in retaliation for drone attacks against Saudi oil facilities launched from Iraqi territory.
Following the joint strikes, Saudi defense officials met with Vice President Vance in Washington to urge caution against escalating the war further, particularly by attacking Yemen’s Houthis or conducting additional strikes in Iraq. They warned that such actions could introduce “major unknown risks.” The White House and the Saudi embassy declined immediate comment.
U.S. officials have privately warned that resuming full-scale operations against Iran could deplete munitions stocks and carry significant risks.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates the U.S. currently has fewer than 1,000 Patriot interceptors and under 250 THAAD interceptors, key components of the nation’s air defense system.
Iran denies it has directly launched strikes from Iraqi territory, but an Iranian newspaper, Hamshahri, reported that four Iranian Revolutionary Guards advisers were killed in strikes on Iraq.
The strikes reveal a fragile and deeply divided Iraq, which maintains close military and diplomatic ties with both Tehran and Washington—an arrangement that fuels ongoing tensions and unrest.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, in office for just two months, called for avoiding escalation and emphasized the importance of keeping Iraq out of regional conflicts.
The Iraqi president condemned the strikes on paramilitary groups as “an unacceptable violation of Iraq’s sovereignty,” while urging all parties to halt attacks on neighboring countries.
Iran’s close relationship with Iraq remains evident this week as hundreds of thousands of Iranian pilgrims visit Iraqi shrines for an annual mourning observance.
Before launching attacks in Iraq, U.S. military officials reported thwarting a surprise Iranian attack on U.S. troops in the region through air defenses.
Jordan’s military reported shooting down five Iranian missiles. U.S. bases in Jordan have become prime targets recently, with three U.S. service members killed earlier this month—the worst U.S. losses since March.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have launched multiple ballistic missiles at U.S. military facilities in Jordan and hit three oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized route.