Iran carried out a surprise attack on the 28th local time, using ballistic missiles to target U.S. military bases in the Middle East. As the lull in armed clashes between the two sides over five days was pushed back to the brink, the Middle East again stood at a crossroads of escalation.
According to the U.S. Central Command's official social media announcement on the 28th, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the core of Iran's military, launched a surprise attack by firing multiple ballistic missiles at U.S. military bases in the Middle East at 5:45 p.m. Eastern time that day. The exact reason why Iran's military suddenly mounted a preemptive strike targeting U.S. bases was not confirmed.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations against Iran, issued an urgent statement on its official X account, saying it "successfully intercepted all Iranian missiles." Central Command emphasized, "U.S. forces are not letting down their guard and are maintaining the highest level of readiness," highlighting immediate preparedness.
Central Command is currently conducting high-intensity operations by deploying more than 20 U.S. Navy warships across the Middle East as part of multifaceted military missions, including an ironclad blockade against Iran. Central Command said, "To strengthen control at sea, we forcibly altered the routes of 18 merchant ships during the day on the 28th and completely disabled two," adding, "To check regulatory compliance, troops directly boarded two other vessels and conducted detailed searches."
This surprise preemptive strike by Iran dealt a serious blow to the two countries' diplomatic efforts to rebuild momentum for peace talks. The U.S. military had abruptly halted on the 24th its large-scale daily air campaign against mainland Iran that had continued for 13 days. In step, Iran also stopped retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases in the Middle East, raising international expectations for a shift in the situation. For five days, the two countries refrained from any use of force and appeared to lend weight to a dialogue phase, but as Iran again launched a surprise preemptive ballistic missile attack, the risk of an all-out war resurfaced.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who had been seeking a peaceful solution, sent a strong warning to Iran's military that day, ratcheting up the pressure to the highest level. President Trump had said "talks with Iranian authorities are proceeding smoothly," expressing optimism about the chances of a final deal. But he warned that if peace talks ultimately fail, he would "carry out even stronger airstrikes against Iran," applying heavy pressure on Tehran.