Summary
The US is planning more steps in its response to the attack in Jordan which killed three US troops a week ago, national security adviser Jake Sullivan says
He says Friday's strikes on Iran-backed targets in Iraq and Syria were just "the beginning" of the US response - and declines to rule out direct military strikes on Iran itself
The US accused Iran of having its "fingerprints" on the attack on the US base in Jordan and said the drone was Iranian-made
Iran says the accusations it was involved are "baseless". The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed militia, claimed responsibility
Separately the US, with help from the UK, also launched air strikes against Houthi targets in 13 places across Yemen on Saturday, in an attempt to stop the group's attacks on international shipping
The Houthis, who are also backed by Iran, have been targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea since November, in response to the war in Gaza. The Houthis have vowed to respond
Live Reporting
Edited by Francesca Gillett in Washington DC
What's the latest?published at 00:01 Greenwich Mean Time 5 February
00:01 GMT 5 February
Francesca Gillett
Live reporterIt's just gone 03:00 in Iraq and Syria, midnight in London and 19:00 in Washington DC - and we're wrapping up our live coverage for now.
We weren't sure if the US was going to carry out more air strikes in the Middle East tonight.
On Friday, they launched a series of strikes on Iran-linked sites in Iraq and Syria, in retaliation for the drone attack on the US air base last weekend which killed three soldiers. Defence officials have told US media - including CNN and NBC - that the US hit 84 out of 85 targets but there were no indication that any members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed.
Then on Saturday, the US and UK launched a third round of military strikes against Houthi bases across Yemen. The Houthis have been attacking international ships in the Red Sea and have vowed to hit back.
The US said on Sunday that the strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria would continue, but as yet we don't know when they might be.
What's next?
- On Monday, US secretary of state Antony Blinken will arrive in the Middle East for his fifth visit since the Israel-Hamas war began
- And the UN Security Council will hold a meeting on Monday afternoon on the US strikes in Iraq and Syria. It was requested by Russia, who said the US was threatening global peace and security
Blinken heads for Middle East - with hostage deal a top prioritypublished at 23:48 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
23:48 GMT 4 February
Image source, ReutersUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken has left the US for the Middle East - hisfifth visit to the region since the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel that led to the war in Gaza.
During hisfour-day trip, Blinken will meet with officials in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel,and the occupied West Bank.
Earlier on Sunday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Blinken's "top priority" will be reaching a new agreement to secure the releaseof all remaining Israeli hostages and to implement another pause in hostilities to allow forthe delivery of more humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.
Watch: US ships launch missiles towards Houthispublished at 23:22 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
23:22 GMT 4 February
In the last hour the US military has released new video footage from some of the strikes it launched on Yemen on Saturday.
The footage, put out by Central Command, shows launches from various ships - with the missiles heading towards Houthi targets.
'I won't hesitate to protect British lives' - Sunak defends latest Houthi strikespublished at 22:31 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
22:31 GMT 4 February
Image source, ReutersUK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended the latest strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, saying they acted with the US in "self-defence" and "in a proportionate way".
He repeated that he "won't hesitate to protect British lives", in a signal that he will not be undeterred from approving further bombing raids if the Houthi attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea continue.
Sunak added that the Houthis' "illegal" harassment campaign in the Red Sea is having "economic consequences".
There have been concerns that the group's attacks on commercial ships could drive up prices as cargo companies are forced to embark on huge detours due to the threat of attack. Earlier, we also heard from Egypt who said its income has been hit.
US attacks will not deter us, Houthis saypublished at 21:41 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
21:41 GMT 4 February
Image source, CENTCOMTurning now to the other US military campaign this weekend - the strikes against the Houthis in Yemen - and Houthi officials have been defiant in response to the US-led strikes on Saturday.
The group's military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, said there had been 48 air strikes conducted on Houthi targets.
See AlsoIraq faces growing violence as political rift deepensAt least 10 killed in clashes in Baghdad’s Green Zone after powerful cleric announces withdrawal from politics | CNNMalgré des progrès, l'Iraq n'a pas encore franchi un cap critique, selon l’envoyée de l’ONUWhat we know about Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the apparent second Trump assassination attempt | CNNThe strikes landed in six provinces, he said - the capital Sana'a, the Red Sea coastal province of Al-Hudaydah, Taiz, Al-Bayda, Hajjah and Saada.
"These attacks will not deter us from our moral, religious, and humanitarian stance in support of the resilient Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and will not go unanswered or unpunished," Sarea wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Biden says he will direct further action 'as appropriate'published at 20:51 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
20:51 GMT 4 February
Image source, ReutersUS President Joe Biden has today released a statement, external giving some details about the strikes in Iraq and Syria. It's the paperwork he needs to do, under law,, external to notify Congress within 48 hours of launching military action.
In the letter, he says that the strikes targeted facilities used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated militia groups used for "command and control, weapons storage, training, logistics support, and other purposes".
The IRGC is believed to have armed, funded and trained the militant organisation behind last weekend's drone attack that killed three US soldiers..
Biden added that the strikes aimed to deter these groups from further attacks, and were taken in a way "to limit the risk of escalation and avoid civilian casualties".
Biden also said that he would "direct additional measures, including against the IRGC and IRGC-affiliated personnel and facilities, as appropriate".
Senior militia group member was killed in US strike - Iranian mediapublished at 20:02 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
20:02 GMT 4 February
A senior veteran member of an Iranian-backed militia group was killed during the US air strikes in Syria, according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.
The semi-official news agency, which is known for being close to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, said the 65-year-old veteran member, Hamzeh Alavi, was killed in Syria's Deir al-Zour province. He was a member of Fatemiyoun Brigade, an Iran-backed militia formed mainly by Afghan and Pakistani Shia fighters.
The BBC has not been able to independently verify the claim.
Some Iranian media have been understating the US air strikes on Iraq and Syria, claiming they hit mostly “empty” spots - but this suggests otherwise.
Why does the US have bases in the Middle East?published at 19:19 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
19:19 GMT 4 February
Raffi Berg
BBC Online Middle East editorImage source, ReutersThe base which was hit in a deadly drone attack in anorth-west corner of Jordan last Sunday is one of more than a dozen where US militarypersonnel operate across Iraq, Jordan and Syria.
In recent months, these bases- ranging in size from a military outpost such as Tower 22, to the Al Asad airbase in western Iraq - have been attacked by militias trained, funded andequipped by Iran.
There are about 3,000 US troops based in Jordan, a key USally, and 2,500 in Iraq - there at the invitation of the Iraqi government aspart of a US-led coalition to prevent a resurgence of the jihadist IslamicState group, which still has a presence there after being routed in 2017.
There are also about 900 US personnel in Syria, officiallythere to support its anti-IS ally the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces inSyria's semi-autonomous north-east region.
The Syria government opposes the US presence in its country,calling it an occupation.
The US also maintains many more bases further afieldacross the Middle East, including three major air bases in the Gulf and a portin Bahrain which serves as the headquarters of the US Naval Forces CentralCommand and the US Fifth Fleet.
- You can read more on this here.
We had no warning from US about attacks, says Iraqpublished at 18:35 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
18:35 GMT 4 February
Image source, ReutersAn Iraqi government spokesman has been telling the BBC that there was no warning from the US about a series of air strikes on Friday night against Iranian-backed militia groups in the country.
"No warning was given during the strike or the night of the strike," Farhad Alaaldin, a senior adviser to Iraq's prime minister, tells the Newshour programme - and the Iraqi government only became aware of the strikes once they had started.
But he adds the "issue of warning or no warning makes no difference to the fact of the matter that Iraq is a sovereign state".
"Iraq's call is very clear, demanding these attacks to be stopped and there should be no future attacks on Iraq territory," he says.
He says he wants Iraq to become a state with "a normal relationship with international community" and not "become an arena for settling scores".
Sullivan won't say what further military action the US has ruled in or outpublished at 17:54 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
17:54 GMT 4 February
Will Vernon
BBC News, Washington DCThe White House National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan,has done a round of interviews on the US networks’ Sunday shows.
He’s beencommenting on the US air strikes on Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria onFriday, as well as the ongoing joint military action with the UK and othernations against the Houthi group in Yemen.
Sullivan drew a distinction between the two militarycampaigns. The action against the Houthis, he said, is linked to the threat toRed Sea shipping. The group’s attacks on commercial and military vessels offthe coast of Yemen have disrupted global trade in one of the world’s busiestshipping lanes.
But the strikes on Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq and Syria were about sending "a strong message about the United States’ firmresolve to respond when our forces are attacked”. The national security adviserreiterated that these strikes are part of a continuing campaign and more shouldbe expected - something White House officials have said several times in thepast few days.
When questioned, Sullivan also refused to rule outdirect military strikes on Iran itself. He said it “would not be wise” todiscuss publicly what Washington has “ruled in and ruled out” in terms ofmilitary action. So far, the US has refrained from hitting targets on Iranianterritory for fears of provoking a wider escalation in the Middle East.
Egypt says Suez Canal revenue plunged amid shipping attackspublished at 17:36 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
17:36 GMT 4 February
Image source, ReutersEgypt says revenue from the Suez Canal plunged by almost half in January as Houthi attacks on the Red Sea forced major shipping companies to avoid the waterway.
The income is crucial for Egypt, which is suffering its worst economic crisis in decades.
Egypt says its income from the key trade artery was just under $430m (£340m), down from $800m (£633m) in the same period last year.
The number of ships is also down by more than a third, in a sign that the Houthi attacks are affecting not just commercial shipping but Egyptian coffers.
The Suez Canal is a vital source of foreign income for Egypt's economy, raising more than $10bn (£8bn) last year.
'One false move could set the region alight'published at 17:03 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
17:03 GMT 4 February
Orla Guerin
Reporting from BaghdadImage source, AHMED JALIL/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockInBaghdad today a fleet of ambulances carried not the living but the dead – 17Iraqi fighters killed by the US in bombing raids on Friday night. Theywere members of militias backed by Iran.
Militiamen in uniform stood in silence lining both sides of the road, many holding thewhite flags of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an alliance of mainlypro-Tehran groups. Officially they are part of Iraq’s security forces, but inmany ways they are foot soldiers for Iran.
Asthe crowd followed the ambulances – holding aloft pictures of the victims -there were chants of “America is the greatest devil”.
TheUS strikes have increased the pressure for US troops to leave Iraq. Thegovernment in Baghdad has accused the White House of threatening the stabilityof Iraq and the region with its “aggression”.
Asthe PMF mourned and honoured its dead, the mood was muted. There were no fierythreats of retaliation. Tehran doesn’t want an escalation in the tit for tat.Neither does Washington.
Whilethe war rages in Gaza, one false move could set the region alight.
Image source, AHMED JALIL/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockIn summary: Arab press reacts to US strikespublished at 16:38 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
16:38 GMT 4 February
BBC Monitoring
There's been extensive focus in the Arabic-language press on the strikes against Iranian-linked sites in Iraq and Syria by the US last Friday.
Here's some of the reaction.
Many dailies, such as Emirati daily al-Khaleej, show concern about an "increasing level of tensions”.
Egyptian privately-owned daily newspaper Al-Masry al-Youm calls the strikes "US revenge" and highlights internal criticism within the US over their timing.
The chief editor of London-based pan-Arab website Rai al-Youm lambasts Washington for "brutal flagrant aggression" against Iraq and Syria. He adds that US President Joe Biden has committed a "great sin” and accuses Israel of "dragging" the US into war in Iraq.
Saudi journalist Tariq al-Homayed, writing in pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, criticises both the Iran-backed militia for “targeting regional stability” and US strategy, describing the region's situation as "attrition".
Syrian journalist Absi Smeisem writes in the Qatar-affiliated pan-Arab Al-Araby al-Jadeed that the US carried out its strikes in a way "closer to a media show". He also says the strikes “will not change the scope of Iranian presence in Syria”.
Oman has 'grave concerns' over US strikes on Iraq and Syriapublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
16:14 GMT 4 February
Image source, ReutersOman has now weighed in on the US strikes in Iraq and Syria on Friday, with the foreign minister expressing "grave concerns over the continuousescalation in the region".
In a statement shared with the Oman News Agency, Badr Albusaidi criticised the effectiveness of the retaliatory attacks, noting that "suchactions compromise the region's safety, stability, and effortsto tackle challenges like violence and extremism".
What has the US response to the Jordan attacks been so far?published at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
15:47 GMT 4 February
Now that National Security Adviser Jake Sullivanhas said the US retaliation to the Jordan attack that killed threeAmerican soldiers will continue, here's a look back at what has happened since Friday:
- The response started on Friday with strikesagainst Iranian-backed groups in Syria and Iraq
- USPresident Joe Biden said in a statement after the first strike that "Ourresponse began today. It will continue at times and places of ourchoosing"
- The US struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militias in sevenlocations - four in Syria and three in Iraq -with more than 85 targets being struck
- TheUS continues to say that it is not seeking a war with Iran and does not want to triggera wider war in the Middle East
- Iran condemnedthe strikes and denied any involvement in the Jordan attacks
- Since then, an Iranian-backed group called “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” claimed responsibility for the drone attack on Telegram
- Both theIraqi and the Syrian governments have condemned the strikes
- A spokesperson for Iraq's prime minister said they would bring"disastrous consequences for the security and stability of Iraq and theregion"
- Separately,the US and the UK have also launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemenfollowing attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea
How far is the UK prepared to go?published at 15:21 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
15:21 GMT 4 February
Pete Saull
Political correspondentImage source, Royal Air Force/Ministry of DefenceThat's the obvious question many will be asking after last night's strikes on Houthi targets - the third time British jets were involved.
After the first air strikes, the government said it wasconfident the Houthis' ability to mount attacks had been substantiallydowngraded.
But since then, ships have continued to be targeted in theRed Sea, and many are still choosing to take the longer, more expensive routearound the continent of Africa.
Ministers say they’re ready to act again if necessary, butthey, alongside the Americans, are keen to avoid any escalation.
At the moment the opposition parties in Westminster arelargely supportive of the government’s actions.
The longer this goes on, though, the greater the risk thatthis becomes something more than just “targeted” strikes.
There’s no military escalation yet, but the war of words isgrowing.
This morning the foreign secretary issued a warning to theHouthis’ main backers - Iran - that it will be “ultimately held accountable” for itsproxies.
Houses were shaking - Sana'a residentpublished at 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
15:00 GMT 4 February
Let's turn our attention back to Yemen, where human rights activist Radhya al-Mutawakel, who lives in Yemen's capital city Sana'a, has been describing her experience of last night's air strikes to the BBC.
Quote Message
We've heard the aeroplanes hovering over our heads."
Sana'a resident Radhya al-Mutawakel
"There were very strong air strikes in some areas," she says.
Radhya continues by saying many people in Yemen's capital found that "their houses were shaking".
But she adds that she hasn't heard of any "civilian casualties" yet.
As we've been reporting, the US and UK launched air strikes on 36 Houthi targets in Yemen to deter the group from disrupting international shipping in the Red Sea.
Sullivan: The ball is in Hamas's court on hostage proposalpublished at 14:36 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
14:36 GMT 4 February
Speaking about the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis in particular, the White House national security adviser tells the US media it will be a "top priority" for Antony Blinken's upcoming visit to the Middle East.
The US Secretary of State Blinken is en route to the region on a trip that willinclude stops in Israel, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the WestBank this week.
Sullivan says that a hostage deal with Hamas that gets a pause in the hostilities in Gaza is in the national security interest of the United States.
"We are going to press for it relentlessly," Sullivansays. "So this is a paramount priority for us."
But the ball is in Hamas's court, he adds, noting that the Israelis have put forward aproposal.
He adds that Palestinians have a right to return to their homes in Gaza.
Image source, Reuters/Evelyn HocksteinSullivan declines to say if strikes inside Iran plannedpublished at 14:19 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
14:19 GMT 4 February
We are hearing a bit more from US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan as he continues to speak to the US media.
Speaking about the actions of Iran-backed militias in the Middle East, he says the US "is prepared to deal with anything that any group comes" at them with.
Sullivan has also declined to say whether the US has ruled out strikes inside Iran, but says more strikes in the region are planned.
US National Security Adviser warns of 'more steps' in the Middle Eastpublished at 14:15 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February
14:15 GMT 4 February
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says that there will be more steps in the American response to the Jordan drone attack which killed three soldiers last Sunday.
As well as joint air strikes with the UK on Houthi rebels in Yemen, the US has been carrying out air strikes on Iran-backed targets in Syria and Iraq.
Speaking to US media, Sullivan says "What happened on Friday was the beginning, not the end, of our response, and there will be more steps - some seen, some perhaps unseen.
"I would not describe it as some open-ended military campaign."
He also adds that there is no sign Iran has shifted its policy on militia groups, and the US will respond if it continues to see threats and attacks.
Sullivan also adds that the US is prepared for responses to its attacks and believes that so far the strikes "had good effect in degrading militia capabilities".
Image source, Reuters/Violeta Santos Moura
