Iran launched missiles Wednesday at American troops stationed in the Middle East as the U.S. and Saudi Arabia struck Tehran-backed militants in Iraq, killing at least 20 people.
According to the Associated Press, six Iranian advisers were killed in the U.S.-Saudi strikes. It wasn't immediately clear if they were included in the militant death toll. Saudi Arabia has accused the Iraqi militias of launching drone attacks on its oil facilities — something they deny.
The renewed increase in hostilities, following days of relative calm, come after U.S. Central Command said it intercepted what it described as a "surprise attack" on American forces by Iran Tuesday night. Officials said U.S. troops "remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness" but did not indicate if there were any casualties.
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Earlier this week, President Donald Trump signaled there was a potential window of opportunity for diplomacy between U.S. and Iranian officials following two consecutive weeks of strikes. Trump said Iran had requested to resume ceasefire talks "because we've been hitting them really hard.
“We’re having good talks, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters. “I think there’s a good chance that something could happen. And if it does, good. if it doesn’t, we go back to doing what we were doing."
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Iranian officials said no such direct talks are ongoing, but Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday that “mediators may convey messages to us from the American side.” The latest flare-up in fighting, however, raises the risk of a return to full-scale war.
