US says it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards US forces in Middle East

President Donald Trump, who abruptly called off a two-week U.S. bombing campaign on Iran over the weekend, has said there were "good talks" under way with Tehran but threatened to restart strikes unless negotiations delivered. Iran has denied seeking to resume talks with Washington.

The U.S. military said later that the Central Command and Saudi Arabia's armed forces conducted strikes in Iraq on what the U.S. said were sites of Iran-backed militant groups that were directed by Tehran to attack American forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.

U.S. and Saudi fighter aircraft struck those groups' logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq, Washington said, urging Iran and its proxies to "cease these attacks to avoid further U.S. military response."

Saudi Arabia also confirmed the strikes in Iraq that it said were coordinated with the Central Command. Saudi Arabia's government said it did not seek escalation but would respond to any "aggression." Riyadh cast the strikes as a response to drone attacks on oil facilities.