Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it launched ballistic missile attacks on two US military bases in Jordan in retaliation for an American strike on missile launchers on Iran’s Larak Island, marking a sharp escalation in the conflict between Tehran and Washington.
According to Al Jazeera, the IRGC said it targeted the King Hussein Air Base and Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan under an operation it called “Punishment of the Aggressor.” The attack came hours after US forces struck two Iranian missile launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the launchers were preparing to deploy rockets carrying sea mines.
Jordan’s military said eight missiles entered the country’s airspace and were intercepted by its air defense systems before reaching their intended targets. Jordanian authorities said the interceptions were carried out to protect the country’s sovereignty and the safety of civilians.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its earlier strike on Larak Island was a “limited and precise operation” aimed at preventing an imminent threat to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. US officials said Iranian forces had been observed preparing rockets equipped with sea mines before the strike was launched.
Iranian state media reported that the US strike on Larak Island killed and wounded several members of the Revolutionary Guards and civilians. Tehran condemned the attack as an act of aggression and vowed retaliation shortly before announcing the missile strikes on Jordan.
The exchange marks the first direct military confrontation between the United States and Iran since late July, ending weeks of relative calm in a conflict that has now entered its sixth month. The renewed hostilities have heightened concerns about a broader regional escalation across the Middle East.
The latest military exchange also rattled global energy markets. Oil prices rose after news of the strikes, as investors worried that renewed fighting around the Strait of Hormuz could threaten one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
