Iran launched a missile attack on US forces stationed in Jordan overnight on July 29, and President Trump responded with what amounts to a promise of war. He told reporters the US would hit Iran “very hard,” a phrase that, regardless of your political leanings, tends to make markets very nervous.
Oil prices spiked sharply on the news.
What happened and why it matters beyond the battlefield
The strike targeted American military personnel in Jordan, catching forces overnight in what Trump described as a surprise attack.
This isn’t the first time Iran has gone after US positions in the region. A previous attack in December 2025 targeted US personnel in Syria, making this the second major incident in roughly seven months.
