The Wall Street Journal reported new details on the Iranian ballistic missile attack on Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base in Jordan on Friday. According to the report, an Iranian missile struck prefabricated modular units, and crew members did not have time to reach shelters. The report notes that three Iranian missiles bypassed US air defense systems, highlighting the challenges of protecting 50,000 troops in the region.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday night that three Iranian ballistic missiles evaded US air defense systems during the attack on Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base in Jordan last Friday, and that crew members did not have time to reach shelter before impact. The report adds new details to the sequence of events: the fatal strike hit prefabricated modular housing units, and the three missiles that bypassed defenses underscore the challenge of protecting approximately 50,000 US troops deployed in the region.
The Zioneer has been tracking the attack since Monday. At 12:57 Jerusalem on Monday, The New York Times reported that dozens of US soldiers were wounded in the Iranian strikes on Jordan, citing US officials. Also at that time, The Wall Street Journal reported that the fatal missile struck prefabricated housing where soldiers were sleeping, and that three separate missile attacks occurred within 24 hours. Journalist Asaf Rozentsweig reported simultaneously that the fatal strike was the third of three attacks, hitting prefabricated housing, and that a siren sounded but some soldiers did not reach shelter in time. Later that evening, at 21:34 Jerusalem, Amichai Stein (i24NEWS) reported, citing an assessment, that the attack damaged at least one US drone at the base.
As The Zioneer reported on June 11, open-source intelligence earlier indicated that Iranian missiles hit Jordan and avoided interception. On July 14, explosions were reported at the base during an Iranian missile attack. The Pentagon has confirmed over 400 US troops wounded across all Iranian attacks in the region. The new WSJ details fit into the evolving picture of the specific impact on the Jordan base.
What remains unclear is the exact number of casualties from this specific strike, the extent of structural damage to the base, and what changes to US force protection measures may follow. The report highlights the persistent vulnerability of forward-deployed forces to ballistic missile threats despite advanced air defense systems.
5 developments
- DevelopingReport: Iranian strike damaged at least one US drone at Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti base
- StrongNew York Times reports dozens of US soldiers wounded in Iranian attacks in Jordan
- DevelopingExplosions, interceptions reported at Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti air base as Iranian missiles target it
- DevelopingIranian kamikaze drone strikes Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti base, Arab outlet claims
Source and signal
- Internal intake