WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD/CAIRO – US forces on Wednesday night conducted fresh strikes against Iran in retaliation for Tehran's latest attacks as the conflict widened across the region.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media that its forces completed "a heavy wave of strikes" at 10 pm Eastern Time on Wednesday (0200 GMT Thursday) in response to Iran's attempted missile attacks a day earlier.

According to CENTCOM, US forces struck dozens of targets belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, including military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, and maritime capabilities.

More than 50,000 US service members are currently deployed to the Middle East and remain "highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready," CENTCOM said.

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Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump vowed twice that Washington would retaliate forcefully against Iran. He also said he had been briefed that an American-owned liquefied natural gas carrier at an Egyptian port was set on fire in an apparent drone attack earlier in the day.

Iranian media earlier reported explosions in the country's southern regions. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said that Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz and locations in Bushehr province had come under attack.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the latest US operation was expected to be broader in scope than previous exchanges between the two sides in recent weeks, targeting more sites across a wider geographic area, citing a US official.

Trump also met with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman at the White House on Wednesday, Axios reported, citing a US official and another source familiar with the meeting.

According to the report, the Saudi defense minister told US Vice-President JD Vance that the kingdom was capable of handling the situation with the Houthis and did not need US military involvement at this stage.

The Saudis are negotiating with the Houthis, which have threatened to impose a naval blockade on Saudi ports and even conducted several attacks on Saudi ships in the Red Sea, said the report, citing anonymous sources.

The latest developments came after the United States said it had intercepted an attempted Iranian missile attack targeting US forces on Tuesday and later carried out joint strikes with Saudi Arabia against Iran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq. 

Iraqi presidency condemns US-Saudi strikes on paramilitary forces

In Baghdad, the Iraqi presidency on Wednesday strongly condemned US-Saudi strikes targeting its paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), calling them an "unacceptable aggression" and a "flagrant violation of Iraq's sovereignty."

In an official statement, the presidency said that targeting official security institutions contradicts international law and the UN Charter.

Reiterating Iraq's categorical rejection of any aggression on its territory, the presidency stressed that Iraqi territory must not be used as a launching pad or an arena for attacking neighboring countries or settling regional and international scores.

ALSO READ: At least 15 Iraqi paramilitary members killed in US-Saudi strikes

It urged all concerned parties to respect Iraq's sovereignty and refrain from acts that could jeopardize the nation's security and stability, stressing the vital need to prioritize dialogue to resolve crises, de-escalate tensions, and preserve regional security.

Earlier in the day, the PMF said at least 20 of its members were killed and 32 others wounded during the US-Saudi strikes across several Iraqi provinces.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command confirmed the operation in a statement, saying US and Saudi forces on Tuesday carried out precision airstrikes against Iran-aligned militants in Iraq following a wave of drone attacks targeting US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.

The PMF is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization comprising dozens of paramilitary factions, and was formally integrated into the Iraqi armed forces following a campaign against the extremist Islamic State group. 

Egypt says fire breaks out on 2 vessels, with no casualties reported

Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said on Wednesday that a fire had broken out on a regasification vessel and a storage vessel at Damietta Port on the Mediterranean coast, adding that the incident was brought under control immediately and caused no casualties.

Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi headed to the scene to monitor the situation on the ground and oversee containment and safety operations, according to a statement by the ministry.

The ministry said emergency teams and the relevant technical authorities were taking the necessary measures in line with approved standards, adding that procedures were underway to assess the repercussions of the incident.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed regional developments and efforts to de-escalate tensions during separate phone calls on Wednesday with US president's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

During his talks with Witkoff, Abdelatty and the US envoy exchanged views on the latest developments in the Middle East and underscored the importance of containing tensions and preventing the region from sliding into a broader conflict, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Abdelatty stressed the need to uphold the principles of good neighborliness, fully adhere to international law, and respect the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of states. He also emphasized the importance of prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions and intensifying efforts to restore regional security and stability.

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In the phone call with Dar, the ministers reviewed the rapidly evolving regional situation and stressed the importance of de-escalation, halting military operations, and advancing political and diplomatic solutions to regional crises.

They also reaffirmed the need to maintain close coordination and consultations between Egypt and Pakistan in support of diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing regional peace and stability.