US Military Intercepts Iranian Missiles and Strikes Militias in Iraq

The missiles hit a wall of American air defenses at 5:45 p.m. ET Tuesday. According to U.S. Central Command, all Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted. While the U.S. military did not initially specify the targets, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later claimed it targeted a U.S. air base and a Central Command center in Jordan as retaliation for U.S. actions against Iranian interests.

A U.S. official told The Jerusalem Post that the strike involved at least four ballistic missiles and characterized the event as a major attack. The escalation comes at a volatile moment; President Donald Trump had recently called off a two-week bombing campaign on Iran and suggested good talks were underway with Tehran, though Iran has denied seeking to resume negotiations.

Joint Airstrikes in Eastern Iraq

Washington did not wait long to respond. U.S. and Saudi Arabian armed forces launched a series of precision strikes across eastern Iraq, targeting logistics hubs and weapons sites used by Iran-aligned militant groups. Central Command stated these groups were directed by the IRGC to attack U.S. forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.

The strikes followed a wave of unsuccessful IRGC-directed drone attacks over the preceding 72 hours. The broader threat remains significant; CENTCOM recorded more than 600 attempted attacks against U.S. citizens and facilities in Iraq between February and April.

“There’s nothing in place that qualifies as a ceasefire, so be it the US-Saudi strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, or Iran’s targeting on Tuesday of the Muwaffaq Salti air base in Jordan, which the US uses, no one should be surprised. Indeed, we should expect more such incidents.”

Israel Threatens Full Force Response After Iranian Missiles Target Jordan

Rajan Menon, professor emeritus of International Relations at the City College of New York, via Newsweek

The Munitions Gap and the $67 Billion Request

While the missiles were stopped, the cost of interception is creating a strategic vulnerability. An analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) indicates that recent fighting has further depleted the U.S. military’s stockpiles of advanced missile interceptors, specifically Patriot and THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) systems.

The data suggests a steep decline in readiness.

This shortage has reached the highest levels of military planning. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed President Trump that the state of munitions could impact military operations in Iran. In response, Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the war has cost an estimated $37.5 billion, and the Pentagon is now asking Congress for $67 billion to replenish high-end munitions.

Strait of Hormuz and Energy Market Volatility

The military friction is inextricably linked to the shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s top diplomat, Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, recently held calls with Saudi and Omani counterparts to discuss eliminating the insecurity imposed on the Strait of Hormuz caused by the aggressive actions of the United States, according to a foreign ministry statement.

President Trump has proposed a radical shift in guardianship, suggesting the U.S. should assume responsibility for protecting the strait and charge countries a fee equal to 20% of the value of cargo shipped to cover security costs. He also mentioned reinstating a blockade that specifically targets Iranian ships or their customers.

Energy markets have reacted sharply to these developments. Oil prices initially dipped on Tuesday as hopes for de-escalation grew, but spiked again after the Iranian attack. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 4.4% to $82.73 a barrel following the news. Analysts at Goldman Sachs noted that while Brent crude could moderate to $80 a barrel by year-end if the strait fully reopens, Red Sea disruptions and attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure remain upside risks.

Kuwait and Bahrain Intercept Iranian Drone and Missile Attacks

The White House and the Nuclear Threshold

The surprise attack occurred the same day President Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The two leaders focused on the conflict in Iran and the goal of preventing the regime from acquiring nuclear weapons. Netanyahu described the meeting as one of the best meetings that we’ve had, emphasizing a shared commitment to stop Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

The threat of further escalation remains explicit. Trump recently indicated that Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site could soon become a U.S. target, describing a potential strike as a nice big fat shot right in the front door.

As the U.S. continues to replenish its interceptor stockpiles—a process CSIS warns could take at least three years—the military remains in a state of high readiness. The immediate future of the region depends on whether the guardian of the strait proposal leads to a diplomatic breakthrough or further kinetic exchanges.