IRGC ballistic missile attack on US forces intercepted in Middle East
US Central Command said Iranian missiles were intercepted as Saudi Arabia reported drone attacks on oil facilities.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
US Central Command accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of launching an IRGC ballistic missile attack on American forces in the Middle East, saying the missiles were intercepted before reaching their targets. The claim came amid fresh reports of attacks tied to Iran-aligned groups and diplomatic warnings over the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said the IRGC fired multiple ballistic missiles in what it described as an attempted surprise attack against US forces in the region. According to the command, all of the missiles were successfully intercepted.
The reported missile fire added to a widening series of incidents across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed several drones aimed at oil facilities in the Eastern Province, and said the drones had been launched from Iraq by Iran-aligned groups.
What happened in the IRGC ballistic missile attack?
US Central Command said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched several ballistic missiles at US forces in the Middle East. CENTCOM said the attack failed because all of the missiles were intercepted.
No casualty figures or damage assessments were provided in the updates. The location of the US forces targeted was also not specified.
Iran warns over the Strait of Hormuz
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned that Tehran would consider “any action” to keep control of the Strait of Hormuz, including a return to war. The strait is a key maritime chokepoint in the region, and control over it has become part of the broader confrontation involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The warning came as regional fighting and attacks continued to spread beyond direct US-Iran tensions. Saudi Arabia’s report of drones targeting oil sites followed earlier claims by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis that they had carried out operations against Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu, according to a statement attributed to Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sare.
A satellite image from European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2, distributed by Reuters, showed a smoke trail rising from an oil facility in Jizan, in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan province, on July 26, 2026.
Trump and Netanyahu hold talks
US President Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the White House describing the talks as “positive and productive.” Al Jazeera reported that Trump is considering resuming major combat operations in Iran that would likely involve a joint military campaign with Israel similar to the launch of Operation Epic Fury on February 28.
Al Jazeera also reported that a meeting with Netanyahu could matter for Trump’s decision-making and for coordination between the two governments. The outlet said Trump and Netanyahu have had one of the closest political alliances on the world stage for years, though their political interests are now diverging over the war with Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately said Kyiv had reassured him that an attack on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea “was unintentional” and that Ukraine did not seek escalation.
In Gaza, Israeli forces launched a new wave of attacks, killing at least one person, destroying a mosque and damaging dozens of tents used by displaced Palestinians, according to the reported updates.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.