US, Saudi Arabia strike militias in Iraq, 20 die

flare-up | Jordan downs missiles fired by Islamic Republic targeting American forces, CENTCOM HQ; pause in war ends

Cairo: Jordan intercepted five Iranian ballistic missiles early on Wednesday, hours after the US military said it had thwarted another Iranian barrage targeting American forces in West Asia, ending a brief pause in hostilities bet­w­een Tehran and Washington.

The US also said it joined Saudi Arabia in striking Iran-backed militias in Iraq after recent attacks on the kingdom. The militias claimed at least 20 fighters were killed.

Jordan’s military said the missiles were “intercepted and destroyed”. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying its Aerospace Force targeted the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and the headquarters of the US Central Command in Jordan.

Earlier, US Central Comm­and said its forces remained “vigilant and at a high state of readiness”. Washington warn­ed further attacks on troops or Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure could trigger additional military action.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to review the strikes. Two Iraqi officials said al-Zaidi’s scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday had been postponed indefinitely.

Saudi said on Tuesday it shot down drones launched by Iran-backed militias in Iraq for a second consecutive day. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed they had forc­ed a Saudi oil tanker to turn back as part of their declared blockade of the kingdom.

A regional official said an Aramco refinery at Jazan on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast had shut temporarily after sustaining “relatively significant” damage in a Houthi attack on Saturday. The refinery produces 4,00,000 barrels of oil a day.

Texas-based IIR Energy said the facility ceased operations on Monday after running at reduced capacity since the attack. Repairs are likely to be completed by Aug 15.

Oman plan rejected 

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had rejected Oman’s proposal for jointly managing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. 

He said the proposal envisaged dividing the strategic waterway into two routes, each handling 50% of maritime traffic. —AP

Trump warns Iran of strikes 

Washington: US Presi­dent Donald Trump said Iran wants a nuclear deal with Washington “so badly” and has effectively accepted it cannot possess a nuclear weapon, but warned the US would resume military action if negotiations collapse.

At a virtual rally for Republican Congressman Andy Ogles and in an interview with Fox News, Trump said Iran understood it would never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. “We’ve hit them very hard and they want to make a deal so badly,” Trump said, adding,  “They cannot have a nuclear weapon. They’ve agreed to that essentially. We have to make it formal. If they don’t make a deal, I go back and finish the job. We’ll take out Pickax if we don’t make a deal.”

—IANS