TEHRAN – Iran has attacked a US base in Jordan after America strikes destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers, raising fears of a wider confrontation in the region.
According to Russian media reports, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that Iranian missiles targeted two US Navy destroyers. Iranian media also reported that missile strikes hit facilities associated with US F-35 and F-15 fighter aircraft at the Al-Azraq area in Jordan.
Iranian state media said the IRGC targeted a US military base in Jordan with ballistic missiles following the reported US action against Iranian oil tankers. The IRGC claimed that its retaliation had inflicted what it described as significant damage on the United States.
Russian media further reported that Jordanian air-defense systems were activated in an attempt to intercept the Iranian missiles.
Jordan’s military said Iran had launched a total of 20 missiles. According to the Jordanian military, 18 of the missiles were intercepted before reaching their targets, while two landed outside populated areas.
The latest developments followed a claim by US Central Command that American forces had destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers. CENTCOM said the operation came after the IRGC allegedly attempted twice over a two-day period to strike a US warship with ballistic missiles.
The US command said the American warship successfully defeated the Iranian missile attacks and that no US personnel were injured.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also warned Tehran that any attempt to target American warships would result in Iran losing more of its oil tankers. The US military described the action against the Iranian tankers as a response to recent attacks targeting American naval forces.
Meanwhile, Iranian naval authorities reportedly warned crews aboard oil tankers in the ports of Kuwait and Bahrain to leave vessels where US personnel were present.
