US Military Resumes Strikes on Iran After Week-Long Pause

The United States military launched fresh strikes against Iranian territory on Wednesday for the first time in roughly a week, targeting command centers of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were a direct response to attempted Iranian rocket attacks on US troops. The Islamic Republic's state media reported at least three people killed in the latest assault.

CENTCOM: Response to Iranian Provocation

According to CENTCOM, US forces struck multiple IRGC military command centers. The command also noted it had previously repelled a separate "surprise attack" against US soldiers stationed in Jordan. President Donald Trump warned that the US was prepared to take a much harder line, and new reports suggest a more intensive campaign may be on the table.

The Wall Street Journal reported that CENTCOM commander General Brad Cooper has drafted an option for 10 to 14 days of sustained, intensive airstrikes aimed at degrading Iran's missile capabilities. The Pentagon has not officially confirmed these plans.

Berlin Islamist Attacker Was Long Known to Authorities

Separately, German authorities have released new details about the Islamist who carried out a terrorist attack on the sidelines of Berlin's Christopher Street Day on July 26. The attacker, identified as 21-year-old Abdul B., was known to Berlin's domestic intelligence service (Verfassungsschutz) since November 2021 as a member of the Salafist scene. Berlin's Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) said he had shown an increasing pattern of radicalization since then.

Abdul B. drove a vehicle into the crowd before attacking more people on foot. One woman died; 31 people were injured, some critically. The attacker was shot and killed by police on Sunday evening.

Poland's PiS Opposition Splits

In Poland, former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced the formation of a new parliamentary faction following the collapse of the right-wing conservative opposition party PiS. Morawiecki's new grouping, named "Ent[schlossenheit]" — indicating a break from the Kaczyński-led PiS — signals a significant realignment of the Polish political right.