Middle East Tensions Escalate as Trump Threatens Iran With Strong Retaliation

US President Donald Trump has threatened a powerful military response after Iran attacked US bases in Jordan, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and triggering fresh volatility in global energy markets.

The renewed fighting ended a short pause that had fueled expectations of new negotiations, with oil prices climbing roughly five percent on concerns over potential disruptions to global supply.

On Wednesday, the United States and Saudi Arabia launched coordinated strikes against militant targets in Iraq. At the same time, Israel accused Iran-backed Hezbollah of breaching a ceasefire after an overnight drone attack inside Lebanon.

Saudi Arabia also reported continued drone strikes on its oil facilities, blaming Iraqi groups aligned with Tehran.

Iran fired missiles toward Jordan, while its state media later reported a US strike near the country’s border with Iraq.

Trump delivered a blunt warning during an interview with Fox News.

“We’ll be hitting them hard… We are going to beat the ‘effing s’ out of them,” he said.

Saudi analyst Hesham Alghannam told AFP that Iran appeared to be using allied armed groups to strengthen its position while diplomatic engagement remained in focus.

“Tehran is now using its proxy network to sustain leverage while the diplomatic track absorbs international attention,” he said.

Jordan’s armed forces said they intercepted five Iranian missiles, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards maintained they had targeted US military installations in the country.

The Guards added:

“As long as the threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran continue…the resistance will continue.”

Israel separately accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire by deploying a drone against an Israeli vehicle inside Lebanon.

Markets reacted negatively to the latest developments. US stocks closed sharply lower, while rising oil prices pushed 30-year US Treasury bond yields to their highest level since 2007.

In Iraq, joint US-Saudi airstrikes targeted logistics and weapons sites belonging to an Iran-aligned group after attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. The Hashed al-Shaabi alliance reported that at least 20 of its fighters were killed and described the operation as “a dangerous escalation.”

Iraq condemned the strikes, saying it rejected all acts of aggression regardless of the party responsible and pledged to defend its sovereignty. However, Trump told Fox News the operation had been coordinated with the Iraqi government.

The developments come as Washington increases pressure on Baghdad to disarm pro-Iran armed groups.

In the Gulf, Iran said it had stopped three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and insisted it maintains “full control” over the vital shipping lane. The United States has imposed new sanctions on entities linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards over alleged activities affecting maritime traffic, while the Red Sea has become increasingly important as an alternative route for regional oil exports.

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