Alert! US Launches Large-Scale Attack on Iran, Lasting Two Hours

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The United States military has launched a massive wave of air strikes hitting dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran. The two-hour military operation destroyed military command centres, drone facilities and Iran’s maritime capabilities.

Citing a Reuters report on Thursday (30/07/2026), US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the barrage took place from 00:00 to 02:00 GMT on Thursday. The counter-attack was launched after Tehran fired a series of ballistic missiles at US forces in Jordan.

“These strikes aim to further reduce the threat posed by Iran and its proxy groups to American forces, commercial shipping and neighbouring Gulf states,” CENTCOM declared in its official statement.

Iranian state media reported three people killed in the US air strikes that hit Qeshm Island. At the same time, Jordan’s armed forces confirmed they had thwarted Iran’s attempted attack on the kingdom by intercepting five missiles in mid-air.

The latest US barrage was triggered by Iran’s confirmation on Wednesday that it had fired ballistic missiles at a US base in Jordan, where all projectiles were intercepted. The US military base in Jordan has recently become Iran’s primary target.

Regional Conflict Escalation in Iraq and Egypt

Before the strikes on Iran were launched, US and Saudi forces carried out a joint barrage against pro-Iranian groups in eastern Iraq in retaliation for a drone attack on Saudi oil facilities. The joint operation marked a historic first, as Riyadh openly joined a military strike alongside Washington for the first time.

On the same day, a drone hit a gas storage tanker owned by a US company at the port of Damietta, Egypt. Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum confirmed a fire at the port, though it made no mention of drone involvement.

The Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) militia in Iraq reported at least 20 of its members killed and 32 others wounded in the joint US-Saudi strikes. The Iranian newspaper Hamshahri reported that four Islamic Revolutionary Guard advisers were also killed in the barrage in Iraq.

The Iraqi Presidency strongly condemned the attack on its paramilitary base as a blatant violation of national sovereignty. Nevertheless, Baghdad continued to call for an end to attacks by Iraqi armed groups on neighbouring countries.

“This barrage is an unacceptable attack and a flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty,” the Iraqi Presidency declared in condemning the military action.

Following the joint strikes, the Saudi Defence Minister met US Vice President JD Vance in Washington to urge the government not to expand the escalation to Yemen or Iraq. The Saudi side warned that further escalation could open the door to serious and unpredictable risks.

The Battle for the Strait of Hormuz and the Global Oil Price Surge

The conflict, which began last February, was initially targeted by President Donald Trump to last only a few weeks. However, a temporary ceasefire agreement reached in June collapsed amid fierce fighting for control of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran now claims is under its full control.

Iran confirmed it had fired on three tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via unofficial routes. A strait governance agreement proposed by Oman with the support of Gulf states was also flatly rejected by Tehran.

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial point, carrying one-seventh of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply before the war broke out. The negotiation deadlock over the strait has been the main trigger for the widening geopolitical conflict in the region.

Following the latest escalation, global crude oil prices surged sharply on Wednesday. Brent futures crude leapt more than 8%, breaking above US$90 (Rp 1.62 million) per barrel.

President Donald Trump asserted he would respond harshly to every Iranian missile attack on US forces. Nevertheless, Washington stated it remains open to a peace deal to end the conflict that has shaken global energy and financial markets.