Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missile and drone attacks on US military targets in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates on Monday, retaliating for American strikes on Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island a day earlier.
The exchange marks the most serious flare-up between Washington and Tehran in about a month, as the war between the US, Israel and Iran — which began on February 28 — enters its seventh month.
US Central Command said its forces struck two IRGC rocket launchers on Larak Island, in the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as an imminent threat. American officials said the launchers were being readied to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the strait, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes. Iran’s Fars News Agency reported explosions near the island, and the IRGC later confirmed the strike, saying it killed and wounded several of its personnel.
In response, the IRGC said it fired ballistic missiles at Jordan’s King Hussein and Al-Azraq airbases, targeting technical, maintenance and fighter-jet facilities and claiming heavy damage. Jordan’s military said its air defences intercepted eight missiles that entered its airspace at dawn, without confirming their origin.
Iran also claimed a separate drone attack on the UAE’s Al Minhad Air Base, saying it targeted areas where US forces and helicopters were stationed. The UAE’s defence ministry denied that the base was hit.
Iran’s foreign ministry described its strikes as legitimate self-defence, accusing Washington of aggression and warning that the US and its allies would bear full responsibility for further escalation.
The renewed exchange comes as the Trump administration shifts strategy, leaning on financial pressure — including threats of secondary sanctions against countries and firms doing business with Tehran — after months of military strikes. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said Washington remains ready to use force if necessary. Iran, for its part, has insisted it is prepared for a prolonged conflict despite economic strain from sanctions and the blockade of its ports.
There has been no independent verification of the extent of damage or casualties from Monday’s strikes on the Jordan bases. Regional governments and international observers are watching closely amid concerns that the exchanges could pull other countries deeper into the conflict, particularly given the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz to global energy supplies.
More updates are expected as Iran, Jordan, the UAE and the US issue further statements.
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