The IRGC launched ballistic missiles and UAVs at two bases in Jordan hosting US forces, after US Central Command confirmed strikes on Iranian forces at Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Jordan's military confirmed eight missiles entered its airspace. Iran claims it struck infrastructure and downed an MQ-9 drone, but those claims remain unverified, and no significant damage at the bases has been confirmed.
The direct confrontation between the United States and Iran escalated sharply overnight Monday, after US Central Command confirmed strikes on IRGC forces on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting they were preparing to lay naval mines. Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles at US bases in Jordan. Jordan's military later confirmed that eight Iranian missiles entered its airspace, providing the first official Jordanian acknowledgment of the overnight attack and marking the latest development in a fast-moving exchange.
Initial reports at 00:43 Jerusalem indicated American Patriot defenses intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles headed for the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, with interceptions visible from Israeli territory. The Zioneer then reported that eight Iranian missiles targeting US bases had been intercepted. Further updates stated Iran had fired 11 missiles from bases across western Iran, Tehran, and Shiraz, of which Jordanian air defenses intercepted eight. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed strikes on the Al-Malik Hussein and Al-Azraq air bases in Jordan and a base in the UAE, but those claims were not independently verified. By subsequent versions, The Zioneer reported that US strikes on Larak Island aimed to thwart a shore-to-sea missile launch, with casualties reported on the island but none at the Jordanian bases. Channel 14 described the US strike as the most significant in months.
The escalation unfolds against a backdrop of sustained US-Iran tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. As The Zioneer has reported, Iran's economy is under severe strain, with annual inflation exceeding 88% and food prices surging over 134%, pressures that may drive Tehran's aggressive posture. Earlier this year, the IRGC made expansive claims about downing a US MQ-9 drone and striking multiple bases, though US assessments indicated high failure rates for Iranian barrages.
Several key claims remain unverified. Iran's assertion that it struck infrastructure at the Jordanian bases and downed an MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz has not been confirmed by independent sources. US and Jordanian initial assessments indicate no significant damage to the bases themselves. The scope of casualties on Larak Island also remains unclear. Whether this exchange marks a contained escalation or the beginning of a new cycle of retaliation is still uncertain.
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