Iran War Live Updates: U.S. and Saudi Arabia Target Iranian Proxies

U.S. and Saudi Arabia Launch Heavy Strikes on Iranian Proxies

U.S. Central Command announced a heavy wave of strikes on Iran in response to Iranian forces targeting American military assets in the Middle East. The predawn barrage completed at 5:30 a.m. local time targeted military command centers, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites. Central Command stated that these military actions aimed to further diminish threats posed by Iran and its proxies to American forces, commercial shipping, and neighboring Gulf countries. The escalation comes after a day of intensified fighting across the region.

On Wednesday, American and Saudi fighter jets attacked Iran-allied militias in Iraq. The U.S. military reported that the strikes in Iraq were a direct response to more than 30 drone attacks by Iranian proxy groups during the week. A U.S. official stated that the operation killed about 20 Iranian military and technical advisers. An umbrella group for the militias confirmed that at least that many fighters had been killed, prompting the Iraqi prime minister to denounce the operation as an unacceptable aggression. Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign ministry condemned the joint U.S. and Saudi strikes as an attempt to deliberately broaden the ongoing conflict.

Direct Iranian Missile Attacks and Regional Escalation

The fierce exchanges ended a brief pause in direct fighting between the United States and Iran. Earlier this month, a fragile cease-fire between the two countries collapsed, plunging the region back into active warfare. On Tuesday evening and Wednesday, Iran fired ballistic missiles at bases in Jordan used by U.S. forces. The Jordanian military reported that its air defenses successfully shot down five missiles launched from Iran, confirming there were no casualties. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps claimed the missile fire was a direct retaliation for American aggression.

The widening conflict also reached Egyptian territory for the first time. Two ships, including an American-owned gas storage tanker, caught fire following an explosion at a shipping hub in the Egyptian port of Damietta. Maritime tracking firms Kpler and Ambrey reported that a drone attack caused the sudden blast. President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he had been briefed on the explosion and implied Iran was responsible without providing specific details. Egyptian authorities stated that a preliminary investigation similarly pointed to a drone as the cause of the fires.

Trump Vows Hard Retaliation Amid Regional Strain

President Trump appeared to hint at the impending military action during a press conference in the Oval Office on Wednesday. Vowing that the United States would retaliate forcefully against the attempted attacks on American forces, Mr. Trump told reporters that the military would be hitting them very hard because it was the turn of the United States to strike. The remarks preceded the coordinated waves of airstrikes launched by U.S. Central Command across multiple southern Iranian provinces.

In Kuwait, the military announced via social media that an Iranian strike targeting a building belonging to an unnamed Chinese company killed one worker and severely damaged the structure in the northern part of the country. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps reported that two tankers attempting to navigate an unsafe route through the Strait of Hormuz turned back after a fire broke out on one of the vessels. The statement from the Guards did not specify whether the fire resulted from a direct attack.

Airstrikes Target Southern Iran and Oil Refineries

Iranian state media and official agencies reported that American airstrikes hit multiple cities in the southern provinces of Hormozgan and Khuzestan, which form the heart of Iran's oil reserves and refining infrastructure. Among the targeted locations were Abadan, known for its major oil refineries, Bushehr, Kazerun, and Qeshm and Kish islands. State television reported that an airstrike landed on a residential house on Qeshm Island, trapping two people under the rubble while rescue workers attempted to clear the site.

Residents of southern Iranian coastal cities described waking up to the heavy sound of explosions and ongoing airstrikes. Experts tracking the conflict note that Iran has sought to extend the battlefield across a much wider region to prevent the United States and Israel from dictating the terms of engagement. Analysts from institutions like the Middle East Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies have highlighted how the persistent insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz continues to drive up global oil prices and frustrate diplomatic efforts.

Diplomatic Hurdles and the Strait of Hormuz

President Trump has faced complex internal military calculations regarding the expansion of the war. During recent internal deliberations, military advisers cautioned that resuming full-scale operations could significantly deplete regional interceptor supplies and stretch Central Command resources. At the same time, the primary strategic objective for the U.S. administration remains reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping without projecting weakness.

While mediators from countries like Qatar and Pakistan continue preliminary work to explore potential pathways back to negotiations, skepticism remains high among regional experts regarding a durable diplomatic resolution. As detailed in reporting from sources like the New York Times, the fundamental drivers of the war, including maritime security and Iran's nuclear ambitions, remain unresolved as hostilities persist. Details of the ongoing military campaign continue to develop daily.