U.S. and Iran resume strikes after brief pause, escalating regional tensions

U.S. Central Command said American forces carried out a "heavy wave of strikes" against Iranian military facilities on July 29, targeting command centers, drone storage sites, communication networks, coastal surveillance installations and maritime capabilities. The attacks were presented as a response to a ballistic missile launch by Iran that struck U.S. forces in the Middle East earlier in the week.

The strikes followed a brief lull after a 13-day campaign in early July that was halted over the weekend. The renewed hostilities come as both sides continue to dispute control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have hit a Jordanian air base with ballistic missiles in retaliation for a U.S. strike on Qeshm Island that killed civilians. The IRGC also said it attacked U.S. facilities at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, destroying drone hangars and a fuel storage site. U.S. officials denied any damage to American aircraft, stating that all incoming missiles and drones were intercepted or failed to reach their targets.

President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One on July 27, said Iran had requested a diplomatic meeting after recent U.S. actions and indicated that further strikes would continue. He later announced additional attacks, describing them as a necessary response.

Iranian foreign minister Sayed Aragchi posted on social media that Iran had launched ballistic missile strikes at U.S. bases in Kuwait and Jordan and accused the United States of firing artillery rockets from Kuwait into Iranian territory. He warned that continued U.S. involvement could provoke a harsher response.

The exchange of attacks has expanded to include Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, prompting international concern about a potential escalation into a wider regional war.