As the conflict with Iran hits its five-month mark, U.S. and Saudi forces launched joint strikes in Iraq following drone attacks on energy infrastructure. The military actions triggered a jump in oil prices and prompted high-level diplomatic talks in Washington over regional de-escalation paths.
The five-month milestone of the regional conflict marked a sharp escalation as U.S. and Saudi forces launched strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq overnight. The joint military action spiked energy prices and abruptly ended a days-long lull in hostilities across the Middle East, according to regional reporting.
Infrastructure Attacks and Joint Retaliation in Iraq
Saudi Arabia’s military participation came in direct response to a streak of drone strikes directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The drone attacks targeted Aramco’s Abqaiq oil processing facility, which stands as the world’s largest crude stabilization plant and maintains the capacity to produce approximately 7 million barrels of crude oil per day.
Over the weekend, Houthi rebels also attacked an Aramco oil refinery in Jazan, forcing a temporary shutdown. Those incidents followed an attack on a Saudi oil tanker transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital southern gateway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
Simultaneously, Tehran launched ballistic missiles at American troops in the region. Iranian media reported that the Revolutionary Guard targeted a base in Jordan in response to what it termed aggressive U.S. actions. The Jordanian military confirmed that five incoming missiles were intercepted and destroyed.
The first round of joint retaliatory strikes by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia resulted in the death of 20 militia fighters, the AP reported. The renewed fighting also pushed Brent crude oil up 3.44 percent, settling at $81.46 per barrel.
High-Level Diplomacy in Washington Over De-Escalation
Against this volatile backdrop, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman traveled to Washington for urgent meetings. President Trump met with the Saudi defense minister at the White House, following discussions between Prince Khalid and Vice President JD Vance.
Prince Khalid, who serves as a close confidant and brother to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, delayed his trip by a week due to the unfolding military operations in Iraq. During his discussions with U.S. leadership, the defense minister sought to clarify the kingdom’s diplomatic position.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Saudi defense minister explained that the militia attacks on energy facilities crossed a red line. The kingdom’s military response was designed to send a firm deterrence signal not only in Iraq but also to Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. At the same time, Prince Khalid indicated that Riyadh is managing the situation with the Houthis independently through ongoing negotiations and does not require direct U.S. military involvement on that front.
The diplomatic maneuvering in Washington also intersected with talks involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met with Trump a day prior. An Israeli official noted that Netanyahu discussed Saudi Arabia in the context of regional challenges
. Prince Khalid countered by telling Vice President Vance that Netanyahu was actively pushing for escalation with Iran, whereas Saudi Arabia viewed de-escalation as the more fruitful path.
Stalled Straits Diplomacy and Regional Stances
The military flare-up followed the collapse of a temporary ceasefire earlier this month and the rejection of a regional maritime proposal. Oman had advanced a plan for the joint management of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which would have equally split transit between two separate pathways. Tehran rejected the framework.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, expressed hope during a state media interview that the strait would never to return to its prewar situation
. Iran has continued issuing threats against vessels attempting to transit the corridor without permission.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined the country’s posture on social media platform X, writing that Tehran’s defense doctrine operates on an eye-for-an-eye principle. Our defense doctrine is clear: eye for an eye. Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response,
Araghchi stated, adding that supporters of such aggression would be treated as legitimate targets.
In Baghdad, where officials have pledged neutrality while maintaining deep economic ties with Tehran, the government requested a formal meeting with the U.S. and Iran to address the widening war. With shipping lanes contested and diplomatic channels strained, international observers remain focused on whether Washington and its regional allies can establish a durable framework to halt the cycle of retaliatory strikes.
