Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles at US Base in Jordan Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict

A Middle East conflict escalated on July 29, as Iran fired ballistic missiles at a US military base in Jordan, prompting the US and Saudi Arabia to launch airstrikes against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.

The US military confirmed that five of the six missiles fired by Iran were intercepted and destroyed by Jordan's air defenses. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, which is a major logistics hub for the US military.

In response to alleged drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, American and Saudi fighter jets struck multiple logistics and weapons sites in eastern Iraq overnight, killing at least 20 fighters and wounding 32 others. The strikes targeted the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of primarily Shiite armed groups that is officially under the command of the Iraqi military.

The PMF has significant autonomy and has attacked US facilities in the past. The office of Iraqi President Nizar Amidi condemned the airstrikes, calling them 'an unacceptable attack' and a 'blatant violation of Iraq's sovereignty.' The Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi called an emergency meeting of the country's National Security Council to discuss the strikes.