Webdesk: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted the United States (US) military presence at Al Azraq in Jordan with ballistic missiles in what it described as a “punitive operation”. The claim was carried by Iran’s state media on Wednesday.
The attack came after the US military said it had destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in the region. Washington said the strikes followed Iranian ballistic missile attacks on a US Navy warship over the previous two days. The US said no American personnel were injured.
Iran said its strikes caused significant damage at the Al Azraq base. However, the claim has not been independently verified.
Jordan’s armed forces said they intercepted 18 of 20 ballistic missiles launched from Iran. The remaining two missiles fell in unpopulated areas, with no casualties reported. A US official also said the Iranian attack was ineffective and that all American personnel were accounted for.
The exchange marks another sharp escalation in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with military action now affecting bases, naval forces and commercial shipping across the region.
The latest confrontation also comes as Iran has threatened vessels operating around the Strait of Hormuz, while the US seeks to maintain maritime access through the strategic waterway. Oil prices have moved close to USD 100 a barrel amid concerns over disruption to regional energy supplies.
However, it is pertinent to note that the immediate significance is not simply whether the Al Azraq base was damaged, but that the cycle of retaliation is widening from Iranian and US naval operations into attacks involving a US military presence on Jordanian territory, increasing the risk of a broader regional escalation.
