Iranian strikes hit Jordan air base
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Iran's Revolutionary Guards fired 20 missiles at a US base in Jordan; Jordan says it intercepted.
The strikes mark a sharp escalation in a six-month war, with oil prices rising.
Background
The strikes are the latest in a series of tit-for-tat attacks between the US and Iran in a war that began on February 28, 2026. The US destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday in retaliation for Iran targeting a US Navy warship, and Iran responded by launching missiles at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan, which hosts US forces. Jordan is a staunch US ally, making its bases a repeated target for Iranian strikes.
How it unfolded
- Feb 28, 2026The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, starting the war.
- Early March 2026Iran first launched air strikes on the Al-Azraq base in Jordan.
- Jun 10, 2026Iran again claimed to have struck the Al-Azraq airbase and other bases hosting US personnel in Kuwait and Bahrain.
- Sep 8, 2026US forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in response to attempted missile attacks on a US warship.
- Sep 8, 2026 -9, 2026Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched 20 missiles at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan; Jordan intercepted 18, and two fell in unpopulated areas.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards called the strikes a 'punitive operation' and said they would 'continue'.
- Official
- Jordan's military said it intercepted 18 of the 20 missiles and that two fell in unpopulated areas, with no casualties.
- Official
- Two US officials said the strikes caused 'minimal' damage to equipment and no deaths, though they warned of possible traumatic brain injuries.
Still unverified
Iran claimed its missiles inflicted 'heavy damage' on the base, including to fighter jet shelters, while US officials described the damage as 'minimal'. The exact extent of damage to military aircraft remains disputed; CBS News reported multiple aircraft damaged, including one A-10 that lost a wing, but this has not been confirmed by US officials.