US joins forces with Saudis to strike Tehran-backed militias in Iraq

What Happened

On Tuesday at 5.45pm ET, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in what US Central Command described as an 'attempted surprise attack' on US forces based in the Middle East. All missiles were intercepted, according to Centcom, and a US official told Axios the target was a US base in Jordan. The attack shattered a weekend lull in fighting after nearly two weeks of nightly US strikes on Iran and repeated Iranian missile and drone salvoes targeting Washington’s allies around the Gulf. The flare-up occurred alongside Iran’s attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran demands vessels use a route near its coastline and pay fees. Separately, Saudi Arabia reported shooting down drones fired by Iran-backed Iraqi militias for a second consecutive day, while the Houthis claimed to have forced a Saudi oil tanker to turn around as part of a blockade. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq denied involvement and suggested the Houthis were responsible. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center reported a tanker hearing explosions in the southern Red Sea, though crew and vessel were safe. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US president Donald Trump in Washington during the attack, discussing the conflict and bilateral ties.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The direct IRGC missile attack on US forces escalates the multi-front confrontation between Iran and the United States, breaking a fragile pause and complicating diplomatic efforts toward a ceasefire. The incident, along with simultaneous Houthi shipping threats and Iraqi militia drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, highlights the expanding maritime dimension of the conflict across the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb strait — chokepoints for global oil flows. The timing, as Netanyahu and Trump met, underscores the intertwining of Israeli, US, and regional security dynamics ahead of US midterm elections.

Watch For

Monitor US Central Command for any retaliatory strikes or posture changes; follow Saudi statements on further militia drone interceptions; track Houthi enforcement of their declared maritime blockade and any Red Sea tanker incidents; watch for renewed Iranian naval actions in the Strait of Hormuz; and observe diplomatic signals from the Netanyahu-Trump meeting and potential impact on ceasefire negotiations.