Escalating tensions in the Middle East intensified on Thursday as the United States launched a large‑scale strike campaign against Iranian targets, while diplomatic efforts to de‑escalate the conflict continued under Pakistani mediation.
The U.S. attacks were framed as retaliation for recent Iranian missile strikes on American installations in Jordan, prompting a coordinated response that also saw Saudi forces join operations against militant groups in Iraq.
In the Mediterranean, a drone strike ignited a fire aboard two vessels at Egypt’s port of Damietta, prompting emergency procedures but resulting in no reported fatalities.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized that negotiations remain active, particularly concerning the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to bringing all parties back to technical talks.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as long as United States threats and interference with regional shipping persist, asserting full control over the waterway.
U.S. Central Command reported that its forces struck dozens of IRGC targets across Iran, including military command centers, missile and drone production facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime assets.
Specific locations hit in the overnight campaign included points near Qeshm Island and areas surrounding the city of Abadan, where missile impacts were confirmed.
Jordan’s armed forces intercepted five Iranian missiles early Thursday, a defensive action that followed the broader wave of strikes and resulted in casualties among the intercepting personnel.
Following the drone‑induced fire in Damietta, maritime risk‑management officials moved the affected vessels outside the port and restored cargo operations to full efficiency by Thursday.
The incident marks the first direct strike on Egyptian infrastructure in the expanding regional conflict, raising concerns about a potential spread of hostilities into Mediterranean energy facilities.
