Iran said that it had carried out missile and drone strikes targeting US military aircraft stationed in Jordan, claiming several American fighter jets and refuelling aircraft were destroyed and others seriously damaged, as the conflict between Washington and Tehran spread further across the region. The claim emerged amid a sharp escalation in hostilities, coming after the US launched fresh strikes on Iran for a sixth consecutive night, targeting what it described as military infrastructure linked to Tehran’s operations around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
According to a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, the strike on US assets in Jordan was carried out in two waves as part of the 14th phase of “Operation Nasr 2”. Jordan’s military later confirmed it had intercepted and shot down three missiles over its territory.
“The attack involved several ballistic missiles and numerous drones and resulted in the destruction of several American tankers and fighter jets and serious damage to many more of them,” the IRGC said. Iranian state television also reported that US fighter jets based in Jordan had been struck.
None of the claims have been independently verified so far, and neither the US nor Jordan has offered immediate confirmation of any damage to American aircraft.
Jordan says it shot down Iranian Missiles
Hours before Iran’s claim surfaced, Jordan’s military said it had intercepted and destroyed three Iranian missiles over its territory, adding that the missiles were brought down without causing any casualties or material damage.
The IRGC, meanwhile, urged Jordanians to target what it called American interests within the country, accusing Washington of aggression against Iran. The developments highlight the growing risk of the conflict spreading further across the region, with several US-allied nations increasingly caught in the crossfire.
US widens its military campaign
Iran’s latest claims followed a broadening of the US military campaign, with fresh strikes launched overnight. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the attacks were intended to “further degrade Iranian military capabilities”, targeting dozens of sites including coastal surveillance systems, air-defence positions, military logistics infrastructure and maritime assets.
Iranian authorities, however, accused Washington of also hitting civilian infrastructure. State media and local officials reported strikes near Bandar Abbas, Bushehr and Qeshm Island, alongside claims of attacks on Iranshahr Airport, a railway station and several bridges in Hormozgan province.
The strikes came after US President Donald Trump warned earlier in the week that Washington could target Iranian bridges and power facilities unless Tehran returned to the negotiating table.
Provincial authorities in Hormozgan said at least seven people had been killed in the latest round of strikes, while Iran’s Health Ministry reported that renewed fighting has claimed at least 38 lives and injured more than 400 people since hostilities resumed, up from an earlier toll of over 35 dead and more than 300 injured.
Iran claims wider strikes across the region
Beyond the strikes on US aircraft in Jordan, Iran said it had launched retaliatory attacks against American and allied targets elsewhere in the Middle East. The IRGC claimed to have hit US maritime surveillance radar sites in Oman, along with targets in Kuwait and Bahrain. It also said it had struck a US special operations command centre at al-Tanf in Syria, near the Jordanian border, describing the move as retaliation for the killing of Iranian soldiers earlier in the week. Neither the US nor Syrian authorities have responded to these claims.
Iran also reported fresh attacks on several US-aligned nations, including Qatar, which has previously played a key role in mediating between Washington and Tehran.
Hormuz Still at the centre of storm
The fighting continues to revolve around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments off Iran’s southern coast. The waterway remains effectively shut after Tehran moved to block access in response to US and Israeli military action, stoking fears over global energy supplies and shipping disruptions.
International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol cautioned that prolonged instability could hit energy markets hard. “We should be worried, and I am worried, if the situation does not improve in the next few weeks,” he said.
The US, meanwhile, said it has stepped up maritime operations in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM confirmed that US Marines had boarded an oil tanker as part of a renewed blockade of Iranian ports, adding that American forces had earlier disabled nine vessels and redirected more than 140 ships during previous enforcement efforts.
With last month’s temporary ceasefire now collapsed, diplomatic efforts appear to have stalled. On Friday, the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan urged both the US and Iran to halt military operations and return to talks, amid growing fears that the confrontation could spiral into a wider regional war.
