Iran launched attacks on US bases in Jordan and attacked 10 ships near Hormuz.
Iran launched missile attacks on US military bases in Jordan and attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the US destroyed five Iranian oil tankers.
On September 9, 2026, at 4:04 PM, Reuters reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) revealed it had fired ballistic missiles at a US military base in Jordan and attacked 10 ships on Wednesday, after the US stated it had destroyed five Iranian oil tankers. This marks a serious escalation in the six-month-long conflict.
The escalation of retaliatory attacks between the United States and Iran shattered a period of relatively calm lasting about a month, targeting military bases, naval vessels, and energy infrastructure. This resulted in soaring oil prices and drew more regional allies into the conflict.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the U.S. military destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday, releasing video of the attack and stating it was in retaliation for the IRGC's two attempted missile attacks on U.S. Navy warships in the previous two days. However, no U.S. personnel were injured in the incident.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated during a visit to Colombia that Iran continues to attempt attacks on U.S. Navy ships, and that each time Iran takes or attempts such an action, it retaliates by losing oil tankers.
Following the attack, Iran fired ballistic missiles at a military base near the Jordanian city of Al Azraq, where US forces are stationed, according to a statement released by the IRGC through Iranian state media.
Although Iran stated that the attack caused significant damage, the Jordanian government revealed that its air defense system intercepted 18 out of 20 Iranian missiles. The remaining two landed in uninhabited areas, and there were no reports of fatalities or injuries.
A U.S. official also stated that the Iranian attack in Jordan was ineffective and all U.S. personnel are safe.
In addition to the attacks in Jordan, the IRGC said it attacked a total of 10 ships on Wednesday, including two US vessels and eight oil tankers, that were attempting to sail through areas that Iran has declared "forbidden and unsafe" in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial strategic route for global energy transportation, and passage through the area has been severely restricted by Iranian attacks.
Throughout the war, Iran launched numerous attacks on U.S. assets and allies in the region, including targets in Jordan. One attack in July killed at least two U.S. soldiers.
Iranian state media also reported that Iran had threatened oil tankers in ports of Kuwait and Bahrain, while maritime security sources indicated that a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker was damaged at the port of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, but it was unclear who was responsible.
This situation led to a further rise in oil prices during Wednesday's morning trading, with Brent crude approaching $100 per barrel amid concerns that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could be further disrupted.
Tensions in the region escalated further after the Houthi rebels in Yemen, supported by Iran, launched attacks on several cities in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, leaving 73 people injured and causing fires at several oil facilities. This marks a significant escalation of the war that began on February 28th with a joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran.
The Houthi group, which controls most of Yemen's population, including the capital Sanaa, said it launched a large-scale operation deep into Saudi Arabian territory, using drones and missiles to attack a Saudi air base in Khamis Mushait, as well as assets of the Saudi national oil company in Abha, Najran, and Jazan.
Saudi Arabian authorities reported that fires broke out in the attacked area, and among the injured were women and children.
Saudi Arabia has led the Arab coalition in the war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen for more than a decade, after the Houthis drove the Yemeni government out of Sanaa. Although fighting has subsided in recent years, the ceasefire agreement has collapsed.
The war in the Persian Gulf is becoming a power struggle between the United States and Iran, with both sides hoping that the economic pressure from the other's blockade will force the conflicting party to back down.
The U.S. government is trying to increase oil shipments to the global market by helping guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, while simultaneously trying to cut off Iran's oil export revenues through a blockade.
CENTCOM stated that the five oil tankers destroyed by the U.S. on Tuesday were part of a clandestine network used to finance the IRGC and Iran's allies in the region.
Iran has long supported groups known as the “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Hamas in Palestine, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shiite militias in Iraq, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Reference: www.reuters.com
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