The United States and Saudi Arabia have attacked Iranian facilities in Iraq. What the media is writing

Iran resumed strikes on an American base in Jordan, after which the United States and Saudi Arabia jointly hit targets in Iraq used by Tehran-backed militias. The attacks broke the lull that had been in effect in the Middle East for several days. The incident may prompt the United States to resume strikes directly against Iran. What the media write about the current state of the conflict is in the Izvestia digest.

Axios: Iran fired missiles at the American base after the suspension of strikes by Trump

On July 28, Iran launched several ballistic missiles at an American military base in Jordan. All missiles were intercepted, the US Central Command said in a statement. This is Iran's first missile strike on a U.S. base in the region since U.S. President Donald Trump suspended strikes on Iran to give diplomacy another chance. This attack threatens to disrupt the fragile pause and could force Trump to decide whether to resume military action.

On the evening of July 28, the Central Command reported that US and Saudi fighter jets had attacked numerous logistics and weapons facilities in eastern Iraq. The statement said it was in response to more than 30 drone attacks directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the previous 72 hours. The Saudi Ministry of Defense has confirmed its involvement in the strikes.

NBC News: The United States launched joint strikes with Saudi Arabia against militants in Iraq

The US military said it had worked with Saudi forces to strike targets in Iraq that had been used by Iranian-backed militias in recent days to carry out attacks, thereby interrupting a brief pause in the fighting. In announcing the strikes on Iraq, the US warned that further attacks on US troops or Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure could lead to additional actions.

According to the American official, Iran launched a ballistic missile strike before American and Saudi forces carried out strikes on Iraq. The official stressed that the two attacks are not related. Saudi Arabia said it was shooting down drones fired by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq for the second day in a row, while Houthi rebels in Yemen said they had forced a Saudi oil tanker to turn around as part of their blockade of the kingdom in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia. What is the threat of this

The Guardian: Trump's suspension of attacks shows that US military power alone is not enough

Can Iran be called the winner of a war that it did not start against the United States? This is not a victory in the conventional military sense: about 3.5 thousand Iranians are reported dead, and the bombing caused damage in the amount of $150 to $270 billion. However, Trump's decision to suspend rather than strengthen the 13-day July strike campaign actually shows recognition that the United States cannot achieve its stated goals by military force alone.

Tehran, faced with US pressure to abandon its nuclear program, may delay peace talks, wait until the White House loses patience and resumes bombing, and then close the Strait of Hormuz until the US is forced to stop attacks due to too high oil prices for too long. This raises the question of who will benefit from maintaining an unstable equilibrium. Tehran may well consider that it has leverage ahead of the midterm elections in the United States in November, given the unpopularity of the war among Americans.

Associated Press: Analysis shows depletion of key U.S. air defense stocks

According to an analysis by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), recent hostilities with Iran have depleted the already dwindling stocks of modern US missile defense systems, potentially putting American troops at even greater risk if hostilities resume. Reducing the number of Patriot and THAAD interceptors could force the United States and its Middle Eastern allies to take greater risks to preserve these air defenses. For example, as noted in the analysis, American troops can launch fewer missiles at approaching Iranian drones and missiles, which will increase the likelihood of their breakthrough.

According to CSIS estimates, the number of Patriot missiles decreased from 2,330 before the war to 1,030 after the April truce came into force. After the recent fighting, stocks are estimated to range from 759 to 827 units, which is at least 65% less than before the conflict began. The number of THAAD interceptors decreased from 452 before the war to 232-262 by the beginning of the April truce. The United States managed to replenish some of its reserves, increasing their number to 234-278. However, stocks are still at least 38% lower than they were before the conflict.

Reuters: Iran rejected Oman's proposal to manage the Strait of Hormuz

Tehran has rejected Oman's proposal for regional joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, dispelling hopes for a resolution to the impasse that has paralyzed trade in the Persian Gulf for months. Oman has proposed a new regional agreement aimed at resolving the conflict over this critically important strait.

In an attempt to resolve the conflict over the Strait of Hormuz, Oman has presented Iran with a plan supported by the Gulf States, which will include collecting voluntary contributions from ships. According to Oman's proposal, Iran will not exercise sole control. The system will be similar to the one operating in the Strait of Malacca in Asia, where Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are asking ships to make voluntary contributions to finance shipping, environmental protection and search and rescue operations.