- Six Iranian advisers were killed after the US and Saudi launched joint strikes against Iran Wednesday for attacking Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a key US military hub.
- Jordan's military successfully intercepted the Iranian strikes. The US and Saudi Arabia then launched airstrikes against Tehran-backed militias in eastern Iraq, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 fighters, according to Iraqi militia officials. The joint strikes were carried out after Saudi Arabia accused Iraqi militias of drone attacks on its oil facilities.
- The escalation followed a period of relative calm after the US paused nightly strikes over the weekend.
- The Iraqi President and National Security Council strongly condemned the US-Saudi airstrikes, characterising them as an 'unacceptable attack' and a 'blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty,' leading to the indefinite postponement of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia.
- The escalation in the Middle East immediately impacted global markets, causing Brent crude oil prices to jump by 3.1% to $84.58 a barrel, as mediators continue efforts to restore calm and revive a ceasefire.
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