Jordan intercepts Iranian missiles as US, Saudi strike Iran-backed militias

Jordan intercepted five missiles launched from Iran early Wednesday, its military said, hours after the US military said it had repelled an Iranian missile barrage targeting American forces in the Middle East, ending a brief pause in hostilities.

The Jordanian military said the missiles were "intercepted and destroyed". Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, quoting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said its Aerospace Force had fired ballistic missiles at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and the headquarters of the US Central Command in Jordan.

Earlier, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces remained "at a high state of readiness" and had joined Saudi forces in carrying out strikes on sites in Iraq used by Iran-backed militias to launch recent attacks.

In announcing the strikes, the US warned that any further attacks on American troops or Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure could trigger additional military action.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday to discuss the strikes.

The latest escalation followed a three-day lull in fighting between the United States and Iran after weeks of confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which around one-fifth of the world's traded oil normally passes.

The conflict has intensified pressure on US President Donald Trump, with four American service members killed in recent weeks and the Pentagon seeking additional funding from Congress to cover the rising cost of military operations.

US, Saudi Arabia strike Iran-backed militias

US Central Command said US and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple logistics and weapons facilities used by Iran-backed militias in eastern Iraq in response to more than 30 drone attacks allegedly directed by the IRGC over the previous 72 hours.

It warned that Iran and its allied militias must halt the attacks to avoid further US military action.

Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry confirmed the joint operation in a social media post, saying the kingdom did not seek escalation but would respond to any aggression.

The Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a coalition of mainly Shiite Iran-backed armed groups operating under the Iraqi military, said at least 20 fighters were killed and 32 others wounded in the overnight strikes.

The PMF was formed to fight the Islamic State group after its rapid territorial gains in Iraq in 2014. Although officially integrated into Iraq's armed forces in 2016, many of its constituent militias continue to operate with considerable autonomy. Some have previously claimed responsibility for attacks on US military facilities.

Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it had intercepted drones launched by Iran-backed militias in Iraq for a second consecutive day, while Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed they had forced a Saudi oil tanker to turn back as part of what they described as a blockade of the kingdom.

Prime Minister al-Zaidi ordered an investigation after Saudi Arabia alleged similar attacks on Monday. Iraq's military reiterated that the country was committed to preventing its territory from being used to launch attacks against neighbouring or friendly states.

Iran-backed Iraqi militias denied involvement in the drone attacks. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed factions, dismissed the Saudi allegations as fabricated and suggested Monday's attacks had been carried out by the Houthis, who have separately claimed attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

Iran claims tanker strikes in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the IRGC Navy had intercepted and stopped three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging the vessels ignored repeated warnings and continued sailing along what it described as an "unsafe and illegal route".

The report did not identify the tankers or the countries under whose flags they were sailing. There was no independent confirmation of the claim.

On Tuesday, the Houthis claimed they had fired missiles at the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal in the Red Sea, forcing it to reverse course. Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the claim.

Last week, the Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi shipping, raising concerns over maritime security in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another vital shipping route linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said late Tuesday that a tanker reported hearing explosions while transiting the southern Red Sea the previous day. It said the vessel and its crew were safe but did not report any confirmed attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.