Iran attacked US military positions in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates on Monday, hours after American forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to multiple reports. The rapid exchange marks a sharp escalation in the six-month-old conflict between Washington and Tehran over the strategic waterway.
Jordan Intercepts Eight Missiles as Iran Targets US Assets
Jordan’s army confirmed it intercepted eight missiles that breached the kingdom’s airspace at dawn on Monday. The interception followed a statement from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claiming responsibility for attacks on US military targets in the Washington-allied nation.
Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, citing a US source, first reported that Iran was attacking US forces in Jordan. Yingst said nearly all incoming missiles had been intercepted and there was no significant impact so far.
The Iranian strikes came after the US military attacked two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, according to a US official cited by Axios. The launchers were reportedly being prepared to fire rockets carrying sea mines toward the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Vows Revenge for Larak Island Casualties
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard vowed to retaliate after the US strike, which Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said killed and wounded several Iranian fighters and civilians. No casualty count was provided.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported an explosion near Larak Island, though it said the cause was unknown. Reuters separately reported the explosion, noting its cause had not been independently established.
“US forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway,” a US official told Al Arabiya.
Drone Attack on UAE Air Base
Separately, Iran’s army said it attacked the United Arab Emirates’ Al Minhad Air Base with drones, according to Iranian state TV. The army said the attack targeted locations where US forces and helicopters were stationed at the base.
The army said the attack was in response to the killing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Iranian civilians on Larak Island.
Escalation Over the Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump said last week that all mines had been detonated or removed from international waters of the Strait of Hormuz. He warned Iran that any ship or boat placing new mines would be destroyed.
The United States has repeatedly warned Iran against laying new mines in international waters, while Tehran has asserted its right to control shipping through the strait. A major share of the world’s oil shipments normally passes through the waterway.
The last known US strikes on Iran occurred in late July. Washington has threatened to impose costly sanctions on countries that support Iran as the war has reached a stalemate in recent weeks.
The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and Iran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases. The conflict has now crossed the six-month mark.
