Iran Launches Ballistic Missiles at US Forces in Jordan and Ships in Strait of Hormuz Amid Rapidly Escalating Conflict

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it fired ballistic missiles at American forces in Jordan and attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz following the US announcement that it had destroyed five Iranian oil tankers, marking a sharp escalation in the six-month war.

The IRGC released a statement on Wednesday morning claiming it targeted two US warships, eight oil tankers, and 10 vessels accused of attempting to cross a prohibited and unsafe zone in the Strait of Hormuz. The statement alleged that the attacks caused extensive damage, though these claims remain unverified independently. This action followed an earlier IRGC threat directed at oil tankers near the ports and harbours of Bahrain and Kuwait, regardless of whether they were at anchor or berthed.

This confrontation represents the latest development in a maritime flare-up that began a week ago when US forces struck Iranian oil tankers under a new tanker-for-tanker policy approved by President Donald Trump. On September 2, the US military targeted two Iranian government tankers, followed by three more strikes on Saturday after Iran launched missiles at two American warships.

US Central Command confirmed the destruction of five Iranian oil tankers, releasing video footage of the overnight strikes and describing them as retaliation for the IRGC targeting a US Navy warship twice with ballistic missiles over the preceding two days. No American personnel were injured in the incidents. Shipping monitor TankerTrackers reported that satellite imagery showed the US strikes hit one very large crude carrier and two Suezmax vessels.

Centcom stated that the targeted tankers formed part of a shadow network providing financial support to the IRGC and its regional proxies, including Hamas in Palestine, Lebanon's Hezbollah, Iraqi Shiite militias, and Yemen's Houthi rebels. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran continues its attempts to strike US naval ships, warning that the country will lose a tanker for every such attempt.

In response to the destruction of its tankers, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack targeting Al Azraq airbase in Jordan, aiming at US F-35, F-16, and F-15 fighter jets according to an IRGC statement posted on Telegram. Jordan's armed forces reported that the kingdom faced a missile attack originating from Iranian territory, with air defence systems intercepting 18 out of 20 incoming ballistic missiles. The remaining two missiles landed in unpopulated areas, and no casualties were reported.

This event follows previous Iranian strikes on US assets and allies in the region, including a July attack in Jordan that resulted in the deaths of at least two American service members. The broader escalation came on the heels of a Tuesday attack by the Houthi movement against Saudi Arabia, wherein the Iran-aligned group struck a Saudi airbase in Khamis Mushait alongside state oil company facilities in Abha, Najran, and Jazan using drones and missiles.

Saudi authorities confirmed fires at the targeted locations and reported injuries among women and children. The Houthis, who maintain control over most populated territories in Yemen including Sanaa, have previously disrupted shipping near the Red Sea entrance and have now extended their operations deeper into Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia has led an Arab military coalition against Houthi rebels for over a decade, and a recent ceasefire in that conflict has collapsed.

The broader Gulf war, which commenced on February 28 through joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has evolved into a strategic standoff between Washington and Tehran, with each side relying on blockades and economic pressure to force a concession. While the US has worked to maintain global oil flows by escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and cutting off Iranian exports via a blockade, Iran has sought to restrict shipping through the strait by targeting unauthorized vessels and warning tanker crews in Gulf ports.