US and Saudi Airstrike Targets Pro-Iranian Militias in Iraq After Iran Fires Missiles at Jordan Base

On the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, the United States and Saudi Arabia jointly launched airstrikes against pro-Iranian militias in eastern Iraq. This operation followed an earlier missile attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which fired several ballistic missiles from Iranian territory toward a US military base in Jordan. According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), all Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted, and US forces remain on high alert.

The retaliatory airstrikes targeted weapons and logistical sites linked to militias responsible for over 30 drone attacks against US forces in the past 72 hours. CENTCOM highlighted that between February and April, these militias conducted more than 600 attacks on US personnel and facilities. The US warned that the IRGC and its affiliated terror groups must cease attacks to avoid further military responses.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi forces claimed to have downed a Saudi reconnaissance aircraft over Saada province, asserting their right to defend national sovereignty and respond to any violations.

These military escalations occurred amid reports that Oman proposed a plan to Iran for managing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which would include voluntary payments for passage, a concept reportedly supported by Gulf states. Iran rejected negotiations with the US, insisting on controlling one full route and part of a second route through the strait. A senior US official dismissed the idea of any tolls or fees for using the strait, describing Iran's demands as excessive and rejected by Oman, the US, and the international community.

The developments underscore ongoing tensions in the region, with Iran continuing missile strikes and proxy attacks, and the US and its allies responding militarily while diplomatic efforts over Hormuz's management remain stalled.