On July 29, 2026, US President Donald Trump declared that the United States would hit Iran "very hard" after US military personnel were attacked in Jordan. Trump confirmed he had been briefed on the incident and described the response as a tit-for-tat measure. He stated, "It’s our turn, and we’ll see if we get there with an agreement at some point. But we’re going to hit them very hard," adding, "They’ve already apologized, but, you know, we got to smack them a little bit."

In a coordinated action, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that US forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET (0000 GMT) on the same day. The US military described these strikes as a "powerful response" to Iranian attacks on US forces the previous day.

Additionally, on July 29, Saudi Arabia and the United States announced strikes on Iran-backed militants in Iraq, a move widely condemned by Baghdad.

Meanwhile, Iran is facing internal challenges, with government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stating on July 25 that changes to fuel prices or rationing are "certain and unavoidable," though details on whether this would involve new quotas, higher prices, or both remain unconfirmed.

These developments mark an escalation in tensions across the Middle East, involving multiple actors and ongoing conflict dynamics.

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