Washington: The US military announced it had launched a series of strikes targeting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) following Iranian attacks on American troops stationed in Jordan. This action follows President Donald Trump's promise to respond decisively to Iranian aggression.

According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the strikes, which lasted approximately two hours, targeted multiple Iranian military assets, including command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities. The military stated that the objective was to reduce threats posed by Iran and its allies to American forces, commercial shipping, and neighboring Gulf nations.

These strikes occurred in the wake of Iran admitting to launching ballistic missiles at US military installations in Jordan, an act that President Trump had warned would not go unanswered despite efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing five-month conflict. The breakdown of a June memorandum of understanding, which had sought to pause hostilities for peace negotiations, has heightened concerns about the conflict's potential expansion in the Middle East.

The situation has further escalated with Iran targeting locations in Egypt and the US striking Iranian proxy groups in Iraq. Iran's continued attacks on commercial vessels in the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz have intensified the regional conflict.

Allison Minor, director of the Atlantic Council's Project for Middle East Integration, highlighted the complexity of the situation, noting, "This latest round of strikes underscores the challenging position the US faces, with an escalatory spiral proving difficult to escape. The Iranian regime is determined to end this conflict on its own terms, undeterred by ongoing confrontations with the US."

While Iranian missiles aimed at Jordan were intercepted, Egypt confirmed that a drone attack caused a fire on a US-owned gas storage tanker in Damietta, marking the first strike on Egyptian soil since the conflict began in February. In Kuwait, an Iranian attack severely damaged a building owned by a Chinese company, resulting in one casualty and significant destruction.

Despite the breakdown of the memorandum of understanding, Pakistan, which played a mediating role, reported ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the hostilities, though details remain undisclosed. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi stated, "Negotiations between parties are ongoing, particularly on the Strait of Hormuz and to de-escalate."

President Trump, when questioned about the prospects of a peace agreement with Tehran, told Fox News, "We're going to let them keep talking." Earlier, he had expressed optimism about the negotiations, mentioning "good talks" with Iran and a "good chance" for a deal, while cautioning that military actions might resume if diplomatic efforts fail.