Iran Fires 20 Missiles Toward U.S.-Used Base in Jordan

AMMAN/WASHINGTON DC — Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles toward a military base in Jordan used by U.S. forces on Wednesday, escalating an already widening confrontation with Washington following the destruction of five Iranian oil tankers by the United States.

Jordanian authorities said their air defenses intercepted 18 of the 20 Iranian missiles launched toward the kingdom. The remaining two missiles fell in unpopulated areas, according to Jordanian officials. A U.S. official said American military personnel in Jordan were accounted for following the attack. There were no immediate reports of U.S. casualties.

Iran said the missile attack was carried out in retaliation for recent U.S. military strikes against Iranian oil tankers. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that Tehran will intensify its response to further American attacks.

The target was the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base near Al-Azraq in eastern Jordan, a strategically important facility that hosts U.S. military personnel and aircraft. The base has played a significant role in American military operations in the region.

The missile attack was part of a broader escalation on Wednesday. Iran also said it had attacked 10 vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, including oil tankers, after the United States destroyed five Iranian tankers. Washington has disputed Iranian claims that U.S. naval vessels were hit.

The latest exchange marks one of the most significant escalations in the six-month-old U.S.-Iran conflict. The confrontation has increasingly spread beyond Iran and the United States, drawing neighboring countries and international shipping into the crisis.

The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the escalation. The strategic waterway is one of the world’s most important routes for oil shipments, and renewed attacks on commercial vessels have raised fears of major disruptions to global energy supplies.

The developments have already shaken international energy markets. Brent crude rose sharply on Wednesday, with prices moving above the $100-a-barrel level amid fears that the fighting could disrupt oil production and shipping in the Gulf.

The United States has said its military operations against Iranian vessels were carried out in response to attacks by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on an American warship. Iran, meanwhile, has threatened further retaliation and warned that the area of restricted maritime activity around the Strait of Hormuz could be expanded.

The latest missile attack on Jordan raises concerns that the conflict could increasingly involve U.S. military facilities and American allies across the Middle East, increasing the risk of a broader regional war.

With Iran threatening further retaliation and the United States continuing military operations against Iranian targets, governments across the region are closely monitoring the situation for signs of another major escalation.