Escalation in the Middle East: Missiles fired by the Iranian regime damage US fighter jets at a base in Jordan

A ballistic missile attack launched by Iran against the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, in the Jordanian desert near Al Azraq, damaged several U.S. fighter jets stationed at the complex, according to official sources in official sources in Washington told Fox News.

A U.S. official said that a nearby A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, known as the "Warthog," was hit directly and lost a wing, while about eight F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets sustained minor damage but were returned to service after initial inspections. The information was initially reported by CBS News.

Jordanian Defense Ministry: 18 of 20 Missiles Intercepted

The Jordanian Armed Forces reported that their air defenses intercepted 18 of the 20 ballistic missiles fired at their territory during the attack, which took place overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday (local time). The remaining two missiles fell in uninhabited areas, and there were no fatalities or injuries among military personnel or the civilian population.

Despite the material damage, a U.S. official insisted that the Iranian offensive was "ineffective" against the region's integrated defenses. "Iran's response was ineffective against the integrated air and missile defenses. Iran fired missiles toward Jordan. U.S. forces have 100% situational awareness of all their personnel at all locations in Jordan," said the official to Fox News.

Escalation following the attacks on oil tankers

The attack on Muwaffaq Salti came hours after the United States struck five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday, in a new round of direct exchanges between Washington and Tehran that has pushed the conflict into a phase of open confrontation beyond attacks by allied militias.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that its strikes were aimed at "maintenance and deployment sites" for F-35, F-16 and F-15 fighter jets at the Jordanian base, although Jordanian authorities did not provide details on the specific targets hit.

"Go home while you still can": An Iranian official's challenge

Meanwhile, a member of the Iranian regime's parliament issued a direct message to U.S. troops deployed in the Persian Gulf. Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, wrote on social media platform X: "Iran is responsible for security and stability in the Persian Gulf. To the remaining forces: save what's left of your equipment and go home while you still can, and focus on defending your own borders."

Azizi's tone reflects the hardline stance prevailing in Tehran following the latest exchanges of fire, in which both Iran and the United States have stepped up direct attacks against the other side's military and energy targets in the region.