Iran targets US base in Jordan as conflict deepens into seventh month

On 10 September, Iran launched ballistic missiles at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, damaging one A-10 Warthog attack aircraft and roughly eight F-15 fighter jets, according to American officials cited by Reuters and CBS News. Jordanian air defences intercepted eighteen of the twenty incoming missiles, with the remaining missiles landing in unpopulated areas and causing no casualties.

Following the strike, the United States launched fresh attacks on Iranian air-defence systems and missile-launch sites, according to CENTCOM. This represents the latest escalation in a war involving the United States, Israel and Iran that began in late February and has now extended into its seventh month.

President Donald Trump declared to reporters that he expected the conflict to conclude after the November midterm elections, claiming Iran "can't hold out any longer." However, Iranian officials have publicly rejected this statement, asserting that Tehran is prepared for a prolonged conflict.

The attack on Jordan, a key American ally where United States forces are stationed, represents a significant expansion of the war's geographic scope beyond direct confrontations between Iran, Israel and the United States. This occurs as CENTCOM reported on 8 September the largest single-day destruction of Iranian tanker vessels during the war, following a temporary pause in hostilities.

The ongoing conflict has affected global markets considerably, with oil prices and shipping insurance costs increasing as the fighting continues despite repeated claims from Washington that a resolution is approaching.