Iran launched missile attacks against US forces in Jordan on Sunday after the American military struck Iranian missile launchers that officials said were preparing to deploy sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
No significant impacts were initially reported, and nearly all incoming missiles were intercepted, a US source told Fox News.
Jordan's Armed Forces said its air defenses intercepted eight Iranian missiles that entered the country's airspace. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted US positions at the King Hussein and Al-Azraq air bases in retaliation for the American strike.
The Iranian barrage followed a US strike earlier Sunday against two launchers on Larak Island, an Iranian island strategically positioned near shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said IRGC forces had been observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the strait when American forces struck.
The operation marked the first publicly reported US strike against Iranian forces since late July.
The apparent Iranian effort to deploy additional mines came shortly after CENTCOM completed an operation to clear sea mines from international shipping routes through the critical waterway.
President Donald Trump said Aug. 25 that the US Navy had informed him that the mines had been removed and issued a warning to Tehran against trying to replace them, saying any vessel caught laying additional mines would be “immediately and systematically destroyed.”
According to Fox News, Iran planned to use rockets to deliver new mines into the Strait of Hormuz after American forces had cleared the explosives already threatening shipping routes.
CENTCOM rejected Tehran's characterization of Sunday's US operation as an “act of aggression,” saying American forces had responded to an imminent threat from IRGC minelaying forces.
“In essence, Iran created the threat, and the U.S. military eliminated it to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce,” CENTCOM said.
American forces stationed in Jordan have multiple missile-defense systems available to counter Iranian attacks, including Patriot and THAAD systems deployed in the region.
The exchange of fire came as Trump warned Sunday that Iran would have used a nuclear weapon if Tehran had possessed one. “If they would have had a nuclear weapon, they would have fired it,” Trump said during an appearance on “Sunday Night in America.”
“These are very violent, evil people.”
Trump argued that the consequences of a nuclear-armed Iran could have extended far beyond Israel. “So I think the Middle East would have essentially been gone, but Israel definitely would have been gone,” Trump said. “I guess we would be next, or Europe, or someplace. But no, you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon, and they won’t have a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Trump also pointed to the destruction inflicted on Iran's military capabilities and the economic pressure Washington has placed on Tehran, describing Iran as “a failing nation.”
“The blockade has been unbelievable,” Trump said. “The financial hits that we’re giving them” have contributed to Iran's decline.
“Their navy’s gone. Their air force is gone. Their leaders are gone. All of their anti-aircraft — I mean, it’s all wiped out. They’re tough people,” Trump said.
The president said he was initially surprised when Tehran began attacking Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait during the war but argued Iran's decision ultimately cost the regime support throughout the region. “Everybody was shocked. I was surprised,” Trump said. “I thought it was a real good thing because they lost all the support that they had.”
The Trump administration is also preparing to intensify its financial campaign against Tehran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters Sunday that new sanctions targeting Iran are expected to be rolled out weekly, with the administration initially focusing on financial institutions that provide Tehran access to the international banking system.
“You’re going to see a lot more of these every week,” Bessent said ahead of a G20 finance leaders meeting in North Carolina.
“We’re starting with the banks, and we’re telling the banks it’s not okay to have Iranian money and to aid the regime.”
Bessent said the US could go as far as completely cutting a financial institution off from the dollar-based financial system. His comments followed Treasury Department penalties imposed Friday against the United Arab Emirates branches of Egypt's Banque Misr over alleged financial connections to Iran.
No significant impacts were initially reported, and nearly all incoming missiles were intercepted, a US source told Fox News.
Jordan's Armed Forces said its air defenses intercepted eight Iranian missiles that entered the country's airspace. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted US positions at the King Hussein and Al-Azraq air bases in retaliation for the American strike.
The Iranian barrage followed a US strike earlier Sunday against two launchers on Larak Island, an Iranian island strategically positioned near shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said IRGC forces had been observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the strait when American forces struck.
The operation marked the first publicly reported US strike against Iranian forces since late July.
The apparent Iranian effort to deploy additional mines came shortly after CENTCOM completed an operation to clear sea mines from international shipping routes through the critical waterway.
President Donald Trump said Aug. 25 that the US Navy had informed him that the mines had been removed and issued a warning to Tehran against trying to replace them, saying any vessel caught laying additional mines would be “immediately and systematically destroyed.”
According to Fox News, Iran planned to use rockets to deliver new mines into the Strait of Hormuz after American forces had cleared the explosives already threatening shipping routes.
CENTCOM rejected Tehran's characterization of Sunday's US operation as an “act of aggression,” saying American forces had responded to an imminent threat from IRGC minelaying forces.
“In essence, Iran created the threat, and the U.S. military eliminated it to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce,” CENTCOM said.
American forces stationed in Jordan have multiple missile-defense systems available to counter Iranian attacks, including Patriot and THAAD systems deployed in the region.
The exchange of fire came as Trump warned Sunday that Iran would have used a nuclear weapon if Tehran had possessed one. “If they would have had a nuclear weapon, they would have fired it,” Trump said during an appearance on “Sunday Night in America.”
“These are very violent, evil people.”
Trump argued that the consequences of a nuclear-armed Iran could have extended far beyond Israel. “So I think the Middle East would have essentially been gone, but Israel definitely would have been gone,” Trump said. “I guess we would be next, or Europe, or someplace. But no, you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon, and they won’t have a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Trump also pointed to the destruction inflicted on Iran's military capabilities and the economic pressure Washington has placed on Tehran, describing Iran as “a failing nation.”
“The blockade has been unbelievable,” Trump said. “The financial hits that we’re giving them” have contributed to Iran's decline.
“Their navy’s gone. Their air force is gone. Their leaders are gone. All of their anti-aircraft — I mean, it’s all wiped out. They’re tough people,” Trump said.
The president said he was initially surprised when Tehran began attacking Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait during the war but argued Iran's decision ultimately cost the regime support throughout the region. “Everybody was shocked. I was surprised,” Trump said. “I thought it was a real good thing because they lost all the support that they had.”
The Trump administration is also preparing to intensify its financial campaign against Tehran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters Sunday that new sanctions targeting Iran are expected to be rolled out weekly, with the administration initially focusing on financial institutions that provide Tehran access to the international banking system.
“You’re going to see a lot more of these every week,” Bessent said ahead of a G20 finance leaders meeting in North Carolina.
“We’re starting with the banks, and we’re telling the banks it’s not okay to have Iranian money and to aid the regime.”
Bessent said the US could go as far as completely cutting a financial institution off from the dollar-based financial system. His comments followed Treasury Department penalties imposed Friday against the United Arab Emirates branches of Egypt's Banque Misr over alleged financial connections to Iran.
