Middle East crisis live: Jordan says it foiled Iranian missile attack as US launches ‘heavy’ strikes on Iran after pause The United States launched a “heavy wave of strikes” against Iran on Thursday, escalating tensions in the Middle East amid fears of a broader conflict. The attacks, carried out by US military forces, targeted dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities, including military command centers, according to US Central Command. The strikes followed a days-long pause in violence between the US and Iran, which had been triggered by Iran’s alleged targeting of American bases in Jordan. The operation was launched hours after President Donald Trump vowed to retaliate “very hard” against Iran, marking a significant shift in the region’s volatile dynamics. Jordan’s military confirmed it had intercepted five Iranian missiles aimed at the kingdom, with no casualties reported. The state news agency reported the incident occurred after the US military announced its strikes. Jordan’s defense against the missile attack came amid a broader pattern of Iranian aggression, which has included missile strikes and drone attacks on several Arab nations, including Kuwait and Jordan, with Iran claiming the attacks were targeting US military installations. The US’s retaliatory strikes were accompanied by joint operations with Saudi Arabia, which targeted Iran-backed militias in Iraq. The Saudi-US strikes killed at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers, according to reports. Saudi Arabia had previously reported drone attacks on its crude oil facilities, which it attributed to Iran-backed groups. The attacks in Iraq, combined with the US strikes in Iran, pushed the region into “uncharted territory,” raising concerns about the potential for all-out war.#saudi_arabia #president_donald_trump #us_central_command #iranian_revolutionary_guard_corps #jordan_military
