United States President Donald Trump has pledged a major escalation against Iran after renewed Iranian attacks targeting U.S. military positions in the Middle East, signalling another sharp rise in a conflict that has continued for months.
Speaking after Iran launched fresh attacks on U.S. forces, Trump said retaliation was imminent and warned that Tehran would face a severe response.
In comments to Fox News and later from the Oval Office, Trump said the United States would "be hitting them hard" and added that Iran was "going to get a beating."
The latest exchange followed an Iranian strike targeting U.S. military facilities, including an attack that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said was directed at a U.S. airbase and a U.S. Central Command facility in Jordan.
CENTCOM described the incident as an "attempted surprise attack" and said multiple ballistic missiles were intercepted before reaching their targets.
Jordan's military also said it intercepted a new barrage of Iranian missiles on Wednesday.
The attacks came after Iran warned that further military action would continue if what it described as threats and actions against its interests persisted.
The renewed hostilities followed a temporary pause in fighting that had begun after several consecutive days of strikes, but that period of reduced violence ended as both sides resumed military operations.
The escalation coincided with Trump's meetings in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who later also met U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Netanyahu described his meeting with Trump as "excellent," while the White House called the discussions "positive and productive."
Separately, U.S. Central Command said U.S. and Saudi forces carried out strikes late Tuesday against Iranian-backed forces in Iraq.
The Popular Mobilization Forces said at least 20 people were killed in those strikes, marking the first confirmed participation by a Gulf state in military operations during the conflict.
The developments underscore a widening regional confrontation as diplomatic efforts remain uncertain and military exchanges continue across multiple fronts.