Iran pushes back against US as regional attacks heat up

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported from Tehran that Iran is resisting US-backed regional proposals and military pressure as a new wave of attacks raises concerns about a broader conflict. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday it had struck a US military base in Jordan overnight in response to what it called aggressive actions. Jordan said five ballistic missiles were intercepted, while US President Donald Trump warned on Fox News that Washington could respond forcefully and was considering further steps against Iran-aligned groups, including in Iraq.

The reported escalation spans several fronts. Iranian authorities said a missile hit a border area in West Azerbaijan province without causing deaths. Israel said a Hezbollah drone targeted an Israeli military vehicle in occupied southern Lebanon. Yemen’s Houthis have attacked Saudi oil facilities and Saudi-linked vessels near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, while the US and Saudi Arabia carried out strikes on Iran-aligned forces in Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters, according to the report.

A central dispute is the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global energy shipments. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, rejected an Omani proposal for shared oversight and said Tehran would not accept US-backed alternate routes or foreign de-mining operations. He said Iran wants inbound traffic routed through Iranian waters and some outbound movement under Iranian control, framing the plan as a defensive measure rather than a sovereignty claim.

Al Jazeera also cited analyst Ellie Geranmayeh of the European Council on Foreign Relations, who said Iranian decision-makers increasingly believe another US bombing campaign is likely and are hardening positions on Hormuz and other issues. Separately, Iran is weighing its response after Ukraine struck a vessel in the Caspian Sea; Tehran says it was commercial, while Kyiv described it as linked to military cargo.