NEWS
Iranian Strikes Damage U.S. Military Aircraft at Jordan Air Base, Sources Say
Multiple U.S. military aircraft were damaged after Iranian strikes targeted Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, according to people with direct knowledge of the incident.
The attack reportedly caused damage to several American warplanes stationed at the strategic Jordanian air base, raising fresh concerns about the intensity of Iran’s retaliatory campaign and the vulnerability of U.S. military assets across the region.
About eight U.S. F-15 fighter jets sustained what sources described as light damage. The aircraft were reportedly returned to service after the strikes, according to people familiar with the assessment who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the incident.
A more significant impact was reportedly recorded on an A-10 Thunderbolt, popularly known as the Warthog. The attack struck the aircraft and left it missing one of its wings, according to the sources.
Despite the damage inflicted on the aircraft and military infrastructure, no U.S. fatalities have been reported in connection with the strikes on Jordan.
The attack came amid a rapidly escalating confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Earlier on Tuesday, the United States said it had attacked five Iranian tankers in retaliation for an Iranian assault targeting a U.S. Navy warship.
Iran subsequently responded through its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claiming that it had launched attacks against eight tankers and two warships, while also targeting the U.S. military presence at the Jordanian base.
The scale of the defensive response underscored the seriousness of the attack. U.S. forces stationed in Jordan fired more than 30 Patriot interceptor missiles in an effort to protect American assets from the incoming Iranian strikes.
The heavy use of Patriot missiles is also drawing attention to existing concerns within the U.S. military over its dwindling supply of the sophisticated defensive weapons.
CBS News had previously reported that U.S. officials were increasingly concerned about the rapidly declining stockpile of Patriot missiles, alongside shortages involving other precision-guided munitions.
The reported damage at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base could further intensify scrutiny of America’s military readiness as Washington faces an increasingly volatile security environment across the Middle East.