A new confrontation between the United States and Iran has begun, and fire is quickly spreading across the Middle East.
The escalation began on July 27, from Jordan, which reported the interception of two drones over the western province of Karak. Later on the same day, Saudi Arabia reported a drone attack on Abqaiq Oil Processing Facility in the Eastern Province. The attack caused significant damage. The Houthis in Yemen claimed responsibility, but the kingdom said the attack originated from Iraq, blaming Iran-backed armed factions there.
The next day, July 28, Saudi Arabia reported a new drone attack against oil facilities in the Eastern Province. The kingdom again held Iraqi factions responsible, vowing to respond.
Later that day, Iran resumed attacks against U.S. forces in the region, launching a salvo of missiles at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the next day that its aerospace forces targeted the headquarters of the Central Command (CENTCOM) there. CENTCOM later claimed that all missiles were intercepted, but impacts were reported.
Early on July 29, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia launched a wave of strikes against Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq. The strikes hit the provinces of Baghdad, Wasit, Nineveh, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala and Diyala. CENTCOM said that the strikes hit logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq. At least 20 people were killed, and later reports revealed that five Iranian advisors from the IRGC were among those killed.
Later on the same day, a drone attack targeted a liquid natural gas terminal at Damietta Port on Egypt’s northern coast. The drone the hit floating storage tanker Energos Winter, causing a fire that then spread to another vessel, Gaslog Salem. The tanker is owned by the U.S. No side claimed responsibility, but Iran and its allies were unofficially blamed.
Overnight into July 30, the U.S. resumed strikes against Iran. The strikes hit Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas and Sirik in the southern Hormozgan province, Bushehr in the southwestern province of the same name, Ahvaz, Abadan, Shadgan and Arvandkenar in southwestern Khuzestan province, and an area near Piranshahr in the northwestern province of West Azerbaijan.
CENTCOM later said that dozens of IRGC targets were hit, including military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, and maritime capabilities. The Corps, for its part, vowed to respond.
All recent developments mark the start of another confrontation between the U.S. and Iran, one with broader regional impact than the previous round of fighting. With no progress in indirect talks between the two sides, full-on war could resume soon.
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