US and Saudi forces strike Iran-backed sites in Iraq after renewed attacks

US and Saudi forces carried out air strikes against Iran-backed militants in eastern Iraq on Wednesday, targeting logistics and weapons sites, officials said, in retaliation for recent attacks and after a brief pause in hostilities ended.

What happened

The US military said the combined operation struck sites belonging to “Iran-aligned terrorists“. Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry described the targets as “terrorist militias loyal to Iran” and said they were linked to attacks on the kingdom’s oil facilities.

Context and immediate triggers

A days-long pause in the fighting ended late Tuesday when US forces reported intercepting missiles launched by Iran at American bases in the Gulf. Washington had said the cessation in fighting was intended to kickstart a new round of negotiations, including over the Strait of Hormuz.

Following the return of hostilities, crude oil prices leapt more than four percent amid renewed concerns for global supplies that transit the Strait of Hormuz.

Claims from Tehran and regional developments

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck and stopped three tankers in the strait, asserting it had “full control” of the waterway. Tehran also said it struck three oil tankers “which ignored our warnings and continued sailing an unsafe and illegal route.”

The report said Iran had held talks with Oman this week on principles and operational mechanisms to ensure safe passage of shipping, and that in June Muscat and Tehran said they would discuss imposing service fees in the waterway.

Diplomacy and other regional moves

The strikes came as US President Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington for their first in-person talks since the Middle East war began in late February. The closed-door discussion lasted about an hour and a half and was described by the administration as “positive and productive.”

Netanyahu said the meeting was “one of the best conversations I’ve ever had with the president of the United States” and that it touched on “our common goal: ensuring that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons.”

Mr Trump posted on social media that they “Had a very good meeting!” and said “many important subjects were discussed.” The report noted it was not immediately clear whether the leaders discussed implementation of a US-sponsored framework deal between Israel and Lebanon or reconstruction in Gaza.

Outlook

The renewed strikes mark a fresh escalation in a conflict that earlier this month intensified after an April ceasefire collapsed. The situation has had immediate economic effects on oil markets and raised fresh questions about control of key shipping lanes.