US, Saudi Arabia Strike Back at Iran-Backed Militias in Escalating Middle East Conflict

The conflict between the US, Saudi Arabia, and Iran has escalated again. On Wednesday, Jordan's air defenses intercepted five missiles fired from Iran. The US military said it had knocked down an Iranian missile barrage launched against American forces in the Middle East.

Just hours earlier, the US Central Command announced that its forces 'remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness' after working with Saudi Arabia's forces to strike sites in Iraq used by Tehran-backed militias. The US warned that further attacks on American troops or Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure risked additional action.

The strikes came after weeks of escalation over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which is a narrow chokepoint through which 20% of the world's traded oil normally flows. The conflict flared at the end of a month packed with multiple pressure points on US President Donald Trump, including the deaths of four US troops during fighting.

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of primarily Shiite, Iran-backed armed groups, said in a statement that U.S.-Saudi attacks on several of its sites had 'resulted in the martyrdom of a number of personnel and injuries to others.'