IRG: Ballistic Missiles Strike US Aircraft in Jordan’s Aqaba

By Staff, Agencies

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards [IRG] announced that its Aerospace Force had targeted United States military aircraft at Jordan’s Aqaba Airport with ballistic missiles during the 21st wave of its retaliatory operations.

In a statement, the IRG said C-17 military transport aircraft and Boeing P-8 Poseidon multi-mission reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft belonging to the US military were struck, revealing that the attack caused "heavy damage" to several aircraft.

The statement expressed gratitude to "the honorable people and dedicated members of the Jordanian military" for providing intelligence that enabled the operation.

It further said that previous Iranian strikes had destroyed "20 hangars" housing US forces at the Azraq military area in Jordan and killed "dozens of American forces."

Aqaba Airport serves as Jordan’s second-largest international airport and a joint civilian-military facility hosting US military aircraft, making it a key logistical hub for US operations in the region due to its strategic location near the Red Sea.

The announcement came just after the IRG said two oil tankers attempting to navigate an unsafe route through the Strait of Hormuz were hit by explosions and forced to halt.

Iran has maintained that foreign military involvement in the strategic waterway lacks legal legitimacy and has warned that continued US military operations would leave the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for maritime traffic.

The latest announcements also follow reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations [UKMTO] of a vessel on fire northwest of Kumzar, Oman, as military activity continues to intensify around one of the world's most strategically significant shipping lanes.