US strikes Iran after Jordan attack as Damietta drone fires widen crisis

The US launched retaliatory strikes on Iranian targets after an attack on American forces in Jordan. Fresh drone attacks in Egypt and renewed Hormuz tensions deepened fears of a wider regional war.Stock photo used for illustrationThe US military launched retaliatory strikes on Iranian targets on Wednesday after Tehran attacked American forces in Jordan, marking a fresh escalation in the conflict. The barrage came after the US joined Saudi Arabia in striking Iran-backed militias in neighbouring Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers.The latest flare-up also spread beyond Iran and Iraq. Drone strikes set off fires on two natural gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port, while mediators said efforts to restore calm were continuing even as oil prices surged and fears of a wider war returned.The new US strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump said Iran would be hit "very hard" over the attack on a base in Jordan that hosts US troops.Asked during an Oval Office event if Iran was responsible for the strikes on the natural gas vessels, Trump said, "It's a little more of the same." He added, "In the meantime, we're going to be hitting them very hard because it's our turn to hit them." Iranian state media said two people were injured in attacks on the island of Qeshm in the Strait of Hormuz. It also reported explosions in Khuzestan province in the north-west.At Damietta port in Egypt, British maritime security firm Ambrey said drone strikes ignited fires on a US-owned floating storage facility and a Greek-owned tanker. No injuries were reported, and it was not immediately clear who was responsible. The developments on multiple fronts came after several days of relative calm and raised the risk of a return to all-out war. They also underlined the difficulty of winding down a five-month conflict that has shaken the world economy and is unpopular among Americans. The fighting was also likely to add to concerns that the US is further depleting already reduced stockpiles of sophisticated munitions needed to defend its bases and allies.Egypt, a close US ally and regional mediator, has been one of the only countries in the Middle East to avoid direct military action during the war. If the strike by Iran or its allies is confirmed, it would mark a significant widening of the conflict.Saudi Arabia had accused Iraqi militias of launching drones at its oil facilities over the past two days. An umbrella group of Iraqi militias initially denied the allegations, while another Iran-backed group, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, said they had attacked Saudi energy facilities as part of a separate but related conflict.Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman met Trump and Vice President J D Vance separately on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorised to comment publicly. The White House and the Vice President's office did not respond to requests for comment.Before the latest escalation, mediators had expressed optimism about getting the US and Iran back to the negotiating table. But an interim agreement collapsed in recent weeks after renewed fighting in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global energy supplies that Iranian attacks have again effectively closed.A regional official said mediators were "still trying with both sides" to restore calm and get the ceasefire back on track. The official gave no details on whether any progress was being made and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door diplomacy.Regional countries will continue to push for de-escalation, an Arab official said, but added that the chances of successful mediation were slim as both sides kept up their attacks and had shown no inclination to stop. "We're in a very bad place right now," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe an internal assessment of the situation.The renewed hostilities also pushed up oil prices sharply. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 7.3 per cent to USD 88.093 a barrel.Overall, the US strikes on Iranian targets, the earlier joint operation with Saudi Arabia in Iraq, the reported attacks in Iran and Egypt, and the faltering diplomatic efforts showed how quickly the conflict had intensified again, with no clear sign of an immediate easing.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 30, 2026 07:46 IST