Iran Missiles Strike Jordan Base, US Destroys Tankers

Tensions escalated sharply in the Middle East as Iran launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan and attacked ships near the Strait of Hormuz, following U.S. strikes that destroyed five Iranian oil tankers. The exchanges, occurring on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, shattered a period of relative calm in the six-month conflict between the two nations. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed to have fired ballistic missiles at a base in Jordan used by U.S. forces near Al Azraq. While Iran stated its missiles inflicted heavy damage, Jordan reported that its air defenses intercepted 18 of the 20 incoming missiles, with the remaining two landing in unpopulated areas and causing no casualties. A U.S. official described Iran's strikes as ineffective, confirming all American troops were accounted for. In retaliation for what it described as Iranian targeting of a U.S. Navy warship twice over the preceding two days, the U.S. military confirmed it had destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers. U.S. Central Command stated that four tankers were disabled while transiting the Gulf of Oman and one was traveling near Kharg Island. U.S.