The US and Saudi Arabia launched joint strikes on Iran-aligned terrorists in Iraq on Tuesday in response to dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-directed attacks targeting US forces.
American and Saudi fighter jets took out terrorist logistics and weapons sites during the operation, which was launched shortly after US Central Command announced Iran attempted a “surprise attack” on US forces in the Middle East.
CENTCOM said that the IRGC directed more than 30 drone attacks in the last three days – all of which were unsuccessful.
“From February through April 2026, there were more than 600 attempted attacks on U.S. citizens and facilities by Iran-aligned terrorist militias in Iraq,” the combatant command said in a statement.
“The IRGC and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further U.S. military response.”
In a Tuesday night “attempted surprise attack,” IRGC forces fired multiple ballistic missiles from Iran at American forces in the region, CENTCOM said, adding the projectiles were intercepted.
The escalation between Iran-aligned terrorists and American forces comes as US-Iran mediators reported that cease-fire talks made “significant” progress.
President Trump, who halted new strikes on Iran last Friday, has expressed renewed optimism about cutting a deal but warned that war could reignite if the negotiations fall apart.
“You know, they wanted to talk. … we’re having good talks, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters Monday. “I think there’s a good chance that something could happen, and if it does, good.
“If it doesn’t, we go back to doing what we were doing two days ago,” Trump warned.
The US is actively working with Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt to oversee the current talks between Iran and Oman regarding the future of the Strait of Hormuz, sources have told Axios and the Associated Press.
On Monday, Omani negotiators said that establishing fair management of the Strait of Hormuz with Iran but pitches for fees in the waterway are undermining negotiations.
One such proposal calls for Iran and Oman to collect service fees for maintaining maritime security along the strait, positioning them as the caretaker of the Strait, a regional source told Axios.
Another idea is to manage the strait much like how the Strait of Malacca is maintained by fee collection from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
The Trump administration maintains that the strait should be free and open to all as it was before the war began.
