The United States and Iran exchanged missile barrages on Thursday, reigniting fears of a wider war in the Middle East and dimming hopes for a quick resolution to the five‑month conflict.

The renewed fighting followed a brief pause over the weekend that had raised expectations among mediators of possible diplomatic progress. Instead, the resumption of strikes has spread instability across the region, drawing in multiple countries.

Jordan reported intercepting Iranian missiles for the second consecutive day, while Kuwait confirmed that a strike in its northern region killed one person and severely damaged a building belonging to a Chinese firm.

The attacks came after the U.S. military carried out a heavy wave of strikes against Iran in response to an earlier missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. Central Command said dozens of targets belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard were hit, including command centres, missile and drone facilities, and coastal defence sites.

Iran’s state media reported three deaths and two injuries from a U.S. strike on Qeshm Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway, through which one‑fifth of global energy supplies normally pass, has been at the centre of the conflict since Iran began targeting shipping early in the war.

The latest barrage followed joint U.S.‑Saudi strikes against Iran‑backed militias in Iraq, which killed at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers.

Elsewhere, drone strikes ignited fires on two natural gas vessels at Egypt’s Damietta port. The vessels, one U.S.‑owned and the other Greek‑owned, sustained damage but no casualties were reported. 

Egyptian authorities said initial investigations confirmed the fires were caused by drones. If Iran or its allies were behind the attack, it would mark a significant widening of the conflict, as Egypt has so far avoided direct military involvement. The Houthis in Yemen denied responsibility.

The war has severely disrupted global energy markets. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged, with Lloyd’s List Intelligence reporting a drop from 82 ships in mid‑July to just 39 the following week.

Saudi Arabia has accused Iraqi militias of targeting its oil facilities with drones, while the Houthis have declared a blockade of Saudi shipping and threatened the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, another critical trade route. Saudi oil exports have been rerouted through costly and complex alternatives, including pipelines across Egypt to the Mediterranean.

The Houthis also claimed responsibility for drone attacks on Saudi facilities used to transport oil to Yanbu, saying the strikes were retaliation for Saudi drones breaching Yemeni airspace.

Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman met President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in Washington, signalling Riyadh’s intent to stand firm against Iranian aggression while also pressing for de‑escalation and renewed negotiations.

The conflict, which Trump initially suggested might last only weeks, has now dragged on for months, fuelling global economic turmoil and raising concerns about U.S. weapons stockpiles.

Domestically, the war remains unpopular, with polls showing declining approval for Trump’s handling of Iran. Mediators such as Pakistan continue to push for talks, particularly focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but the latest exchanges underscore how fragile the situation remains.

ANI