Iran sends wave of missiles toward U.S. base in Jordan after vowing escalation

Under economic pressure from the U.S., Iranian leaders have signaled they will not capitulate.

By Dan Lamothe and Rachel Chason

Iran fired a barrage of missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan overnight, the latest salvo in a conflict that has in recent days seen Iranian leaders signaling an increasingly aggressive posture.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that its “punitive operation” targeted the U.S. air base of Al-Azraq and vowed that “this powerful fight will continue,” according to state media. The Jordanian military said that it had successfully intercepted 18 of the 20 missiles, adding that two fell in unpopulated areas. The country has come under repeated attack in recent weeks.

The overnight strikes came after U.S. forces hit five Iranian tanker ships on Tuesday in response to attempted missile attacks on an American warship, U.S. military officials said. Iranian leaders are ramping up their attacks and rhetoric as they come under increasing pressure from the U.S. naval blockade and a bevy of sanctions, experts say.

Iran’s top negotiator, parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned earlier this week that Tehran would be responding more forcefully to future U.S. attacks.

“The Americans must have understood that the era of proportionate responses has come to an end,” Ghalibaf said in a speech carried by Iranian state media.

In recent days, the Iranian-backed Houthis have also launched a wave of attacks in Saudi Arabia that targeted oil infrastructure as well as air bases in Saudi Arabia. At least 70 people were wounded in the attacks, according to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, which launched its own counterattack.

The escalation by the Houthis threatens to further destabilize the global economy by putting pressure on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which has been an alternative route for Saudi Arabia as it seeks to avoid the Strait of Hormuz for its oil exports.

The oil tankers struck by the United States are affiliated with Iran’s IRGC, the paramilitary force that is the most powerful institution in Tehran, said a statement from U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East. The attacks followed similar strikes that occurred last week, as Iranian and U.S. forces have continued to trade fire amid stunted diplomatic efforts to broker a permanent ceasefire.

Tuesday’s violence followed IRGC forces twice targeting a U.S. warship with ballistic missiles over the last two days, the Centcom statement said. The vessel — which U.S. officials did not identify by name — evaded the attempted Iranian attacks and continued to patrol waters in the region, U.S. officials said, adding that no American troops were harmed.

The vessels destroyed include the Iranian motor tankers Kaviz, Charminar, Horizon 1, Riesco in the Gulf of Oman and the Derya near Kharg Island, a strategically important oil terminal in the Persian Gulf, officials said. U.S. troops directed the crews to abandon ship before the vessels were hit, the military statement said.

The Iranian government made no immediate public statements following the U.S. announcement. Earlier in the day, Iranian Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Nikzad said the recent Iranian attacks on U.S. warships represent only a small fraction of Iran’s military capabilities, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency, a state media outlet.

The action Tuesday follows U.S. forces targeting three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday after the IRGC launched ballistic missiles at two U.S. Navy warships in the region, U.S. military officials said in a statement at that time.

An American aircraft carrier and destroyer successfully avoided those attacks, and no U.S. service members were wounded, the statement said.

“Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, said in the statement. “We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.”

The U.S. Navy is enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports as Tehran keeps a tight grip on commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passageway long vital to the shipment of Middle Eastern oil and other commodities. Access to the strait, and the global economic implications of its closure, remains a major obstacle to ending the war.

U.S. forces also carried out strikes on Iranian military infrastructure a week ago. Among the targets hit then were IRGC air-defense sites, radar systems, mine-laying equipment and maritime facilities, Centcom said in a statement at the time.

That action followed attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. service members in the region, Centcom said.

The comments reflect a strong criticism of President Trump's handling of the conflict with Iran, with many expressing concern over the escalation of tensions and the economic impact, such as rising oil prices. Some commenters sarcastically praise Trump's actions, while others... Show more

By Dan Lamothe

Dan Lamothe joined The Washington Post in 2014 to cover the U.S. military. He has written about the Armed Forces since 2008, traveling extensively, embedding with five branches of service and covering combat in Afghanistan. He can be reached on Signal at danlamothe.30follow on X@danlamothe

By Rachel Chason

Rachel Chason is The Washington Post's West Africa bureau chief. Before becoming a foreign correspondent in 2022, she was a reporter on the Local desk, focusing on politics and government in Prince George's County, Md. follow on X@rachel_chason