U.S. resumes strikes against Iran, retaliating against surprise missile attack

US President Donald Trump during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Aaron Schwartz | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. Wednesday stateside, retaliating against Iranian missile attacks on American forces in the region, raising the specter of escalating conflict after a brief pause. U.S. Central Command described the operation as a "powerful response" to Tuesday's "attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East.The fresh strikes come after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted American forces in the Gulf region with multiple ballistic missiles late Tuesday stateside, although all of them were intercepted. Jordan's armed forces said the country's air defenses intercepted five missiles launched from Iran. The resumption of strikes marks the latest turn in a conflict that has whipsawed oil markets and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since fighting erupted in late February.