US military launches strikes against Iran in 'powerful' response to Middle East conflict

United States Central Command announced Wednesday night that American forces have launched retaliatory strikes against Iran after it conducted a "surprise" attack on U.S. troops in the Middle East on Tuesday.

"U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET today," CENTCOM said on X. "The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday's attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East."

The resumption of fighting in the region comes after President Donald Trump paused his strikes against the Middle Eastern country over the weekend in order to give peace negotiations another chance. 

The pause occurred after war resumed in the Middle East recently with American forces carrying out strikes on Iranian coastal targets and infrastructure following a sharp escalation that began after Iran fired on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.