Middle East Escalation: Iran Strikes US Bases in Jordan and UAE Following US Attack on Larak Island

A ship remains anchored on May 16, 2026 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran [Majid Saeedi/Getty Images]

Iran announced it has targeted US bases in Jordan and US military assets located in the United Arab Emirates as retaliation for recent US strikes on Larak Island, marking the first active military exchange between the two nations since late July.

The Iranian counter-attack followed US claims that two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz were struck. A US official informed Al Jazeera Arabic that these launchers were preparing to fire missiles equipped with naval mines toward the waterway.

In his initial remarks addressing the incident, President Masoud Pezshkian stated that Iran is "not looking for war" but will "never sit still in the face of any aggression." According to the Iranian news agency Fars, Pezshkian added that Iran "will give a decisive response to the aggressors" if attacked, noting that "instability and unrest in the region are not in the interest of any country and will challenge everyone."

Here is what is currently known and how this development impacts diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing six-month conflict that has disrupted global oil supplies and affected the world economy.

What happened?

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that US strikes on Sunday night resulted in the deaths and injuries of multiple Iranian soldiers and civilians. Iran’s Fars news agency also cited IRGC spokesperson Sardar Mohebi, who accused the US of committing "a strategic and fatal mistake" and warned of consequences in "both the economic and military arenas."

Conversely, US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a statement on X Monday morning refuting the IRGC's characterization of the Larak Island strike as an "act of aggression." CENTCOM stated that forces executed "limited, precise action against IRGC minelaying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz."

The statement continued, "In essence, Iran created the threat and the US military eliminated it to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce."

US President Donald Trump claimed in a Truth Social post on Monday that Kharg Island is being "blown to smithereens." Iran has not yet responded to these claims. Previously, the US president stated that all mines had been removed or detonated from the waterway and warned that any vessel placing new mines would face destruction.

What has been the response?

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the US strike on Larak Island, describing it in an official statement as a "direct violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity" that caused both civilian and military casualties.

Shortly after the US operation, the IRGC reported executing a combined drone and missile operation targeting the King Hussein and Al Azraq US military bases in Jordan, according to Iranian media reports. The IRGC claimed the strikes caused significant damage, destroying "the technical and repair infrastructure, as well as the enemy fighter deployment sites."

Tehran characterized the attacks on Jordan as "a legitimate exercise of self-defense" under the United Nations Charter, explaining that Iranian armed forces launched retaliatory missile strikes against US positions identified as the origin of the Larak Island assault.

Meanwhile, a US official told Al Jazeera Arabic that US forces successfully intercepted the incoming attacks from Jordan, asserting that "the missile attack on US forces in Jordan proves that Iran is no longer the power it once was." The official noted that medium-range ballistic missiles were launched toward Jordan.

Jordan’s army confirmed in a Monday statement that its air defense systems intercepted eight missiles that crossed into the kingdom's airspace at dawn.

In the early hours of Monday, Iran’s Fars and Mehr news agencies referenced an IRGC statement claiming that Iranian air defenses successfully intercepted "a long-range American MQ9 drone" over the Strait of Hormuz, causing it to crash into the Gulf.

Harlan Ullman, a retired US senior naval officer, told Al Jazeera that the strikes on Jordan functioned primarily as a "political statement." He explained, "They are signalling to Jordan that it is a target. It is a politically significant target." Ullman added that the operation was executed "with malice aforethought, not necessarily to impose damage on the Americans, but to tell the Jordanians: Are you sure you want to support the Americans?"

Additionally, Iran’s army announced via state news outlets that dozens of drones were deployed against US military assets at the Al Minhad airbase in the UAE. The strikes reportedly targeted locations housing US personnel and helicopters in retaliation for the deaths of IRGC members and civilians during the Larak Island incident.

The UAE’s Ministry of Defence stated Monday morning that its air force intercepted a drone approaching from Iran over territorial waters, though it formally rejected Iranian assertions that the Al Minhad airbase was successfully targeted.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry reiterated that Tehran will respond decisively to any future military aggression, assigning full responsibility for regional escalation to the US and its supporters.

What does this mean?

Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Manuel Rapalo noted that these tit-for-tat exchanges represent the exact scenario international diplomats sought to avoid while pursuing a diplomatic resolution.

"The Trump administration has been signalling over the course of the last week that talks have deteriorated, that diplomacy has lost momentum, and we have seen that shift in strategy away from kinetic action and towards economic pressure," Rapalo stated. He referenced upcoming economic sanctions announced by the US treasury secretary targeting entities allegedly doing business with Iran.

Last week, Washington introduced new economic penalties against Tehran, dubbed "Operation Economic Outcast" and framed by officials as an "economic D-Day," intensifying pressure six months into the conflict. Tehran, which has faced US sanctions for decades, maintains that the new economic measures will fail and demonstrates that Washington's military strategy has proven ineffective.