Daijiworld Media Network - Amman
Amman, Aug 31: Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US-operated air bases in Jordan on Sunday in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first direct US-Iran military exchange in more than a month.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted technical infrastructure, maintenance facilities and positions where US fighter jets were stationed at the King Hussein and Al-Azraq air bases, claiming the attack caused "heavy damage". Jordanian authorities, however, said eight Iranian missiles entering the country's airspace were intercepted, while US sources said nearly all incoming missiles had been intercepted with no significant impact reported.
The Iranian retaliation came hours after US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island. US Central Command said IRGC forces had been observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the American attack. The US military described the operation as a response to an imminent threat to shipping through the strategic waterway.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the US attack killed and wounded several Iranian fighters and civilians, although no precise casualty figure was provided. Iranian state media reported that the American operation was carried out in two waves, while Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said drones were used in the attack on Larak Island.
The IRGC had earlier vowed retaliation, warning of a response and punishment for what it called American aggression. IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi described the US action as a "grave blunder" and said Washington would face consequences in both the economic and military arenas.
The latest exchange comes after weeks of relative calm in the six-month-old US-Iran war. The previous known US strikes on Iran took place in late July, and Sunday's action marked the first confirmed American military strike against Iranian targets since then.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation. The US military has been seeking to keep the crucial shipping route open after clearing mines from international shipping lanes. Washington said the Iranian launchers targeted on Larak Island posed a threat because they were allegedly being prepared to deploy additional sea mines in the waterway.
The renewed fighting also sent oil prices higher, with Brent crude briefly moving above $90 a barrel as markets reacted to concerns that the escalation could further disrupt energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest confrontation has raised fresh fears of a wider escalation across the Middle East, particularly because US forces are stationed at several bases in the region and the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most important energy routes. The exchange also comes despite months of diplomatic efforts aimed at containing the conflict.