Iran fires missiles at US base in Jordan, all intercepted: US Central Command

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched multiple ballistic missiles early on Wednesday at a US military base in Jordan, US Central Command said.

If confirmed, it's the first direct Iranian strike on American forces in the country since a brief pause in US airstrikes.

All the missiles were successfully intercepted, with no casualties or damage reported, CENTCOM said in a statement.

The attack occurred at about 1:45 pm Gulf Standard Time on Wednesday, according to the US military’s report of the launch time at 5:45 pm Eastern Time on Tuesday.

The targeted facility was likely Muwaffaq Salti Air Base near Azraq in northeastern Jordan, which has hosted US forces and aircraft and was struck in earlier Iranian attacks this month that killed American service members. 

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show missile launches from central-western Iran and intercepts by air defence systems, including US Patriot batteries or Jordanian defences.

Heightened tensions

The strike follows a period of heightened tensions.

Iran has launched several waves of attacks on US positions in Jordan in mid-July, some of which caused US casualties.

It's not immediately clear of the US will respond in kind for the latest Iranian aggression.

IRGC-aligned media pushed back on claims of a total interception, suggesting some impacts.

US Central Command said in its statement: “At 5:45 p.m. ET today, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on U.S. forces based in the Middle East. All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted. U.S. forces remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness.” 

The exchange underscores the volatile state of US-Iran relations, with both sides balancing military posturing and backchannel diplomacy as the broader regional conflict continues.