US resumes strikes on Iran-backed militias as Middle East conflict widens

Published Jul 30, 02:50 PM UTC

Joint U.S. and Saudi Arabian airstrikes on Iran-backed militia positions in Iraq on Wednesday killed at least 20 fighters from Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, escalating fears of a broader Middle East conflict. Iran responded by firing missiles at U.S. military bases in Jordan. President Donald Trump stated, 'We are going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn,' before the U.S. launched what it called a 'heavy wave of strikes' in Iran. The New York Times reported that the 'scope of the war' has widened, with Iran-linked groups opening new fronts across Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan. Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.) criticized the strikes as 'a war in search of a rationale.' Middle East expert H.A. Hellyer warned that Tehran views the conflict as an existential struggle, pushing the region into 'uncharted territory.'