Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a military strike on July 17, 2026, targeting U.S. aircraft in Jordan, as part of a broader regional escalation. This development follows weeks of intermittent conflict, including Iranian strikes on U.S. assets in the Persian Gulf and ongoing U.S. military operations within Iranian territory. The IRGC stated that the attacks on Jordan were part of the fourteenth wave of operations, launched in retaliation for U.S. strikes that hit bridges, residential areas, and a water transport center in the city of Bandar Abbas.
IRGC Missile and Drone Strike on U.S. Aircraft in Jordan
According to the IRGC statement, the operation in Jordan was carried out in two phases, utilizing a large number of ballistic missiles and suicide drones. The IRGC claimed to have destroyed a number of U.S. warplanes and refueling aircraft. Official reports from the IRGC indicated that the attacks focused on neutralizing and destroying air capabilities belonging to the U.S. Air Force in the targeted locations, utilizing weaponry with a high capacity for maneuvering and penetrating defensive systems. This strike has raised security and military alert levels across the Middle East to maximum levels, while international observers monitor the potential for further military retaliation by the United States and its allies.
The Jordanian government has pushed back against Tehran’s claims regarding the use of its territory. On the evening of Thursday, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi denied the allegations of U.S. bases in the country, emphasizing that there is no justification for Iranian aggression against the kingdom or the Gulf states.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and the At-Tanf Base Conflict
The IRGC also announced a surprise attack on what it described as a special operations command center belonging to the enemy in the At-Tanf region of Syria. This claim stands in contrast to previous U.S. announcements in February, in which the United States declared the withdrawal of its forces from the base and the transfer of control to Syrian authorities. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa had previously stated during an event at the Chatham House research center in London in March that Syria would distance itself from any conflict unless it was directly attacked.
For more on this story, see US Strikes Iranian Military Sites Amid Escalating Regional Tensions.
The IRGC’s campaign has utilized a series of “waves” to target U.S. assets across the region:
- Wave 11: Targeted the Al-Sakhir Air Base in Bahrain, which houses U.S. Army reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters, using suicide drones.
- Wave 12: Targeted radar for detection and early warning of missile defense, weapons depots, surface-to-surface missile launch platforms, and reserve missiles in Kuwait.
- Wave 13: Targeted an air surveillance radar in the Ghanem region of the Sultanate of Oman and a maritime surveillance radar at Salamah Rocks.
U.S. President Donald Trump Terminates June 18 Ceasefire
The conflict remains tied to the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC asserted that Iran maintains full control over the strait, warning that the continuation of U.S. attacks means that no oil or gas will be exported through the waterway. The current instability follows the collapse of a June 18 memorandum of understanding that included a ceasefire, which had been negotiated with mediation from Pakistan and Qatar to end the war initiated by the U.S. and Israel on February 28.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared the end of the ceasefire on July 8, following a renewed escalation after Iran attacked three ships in the Strait of Hormuz on July 7 for allegedly failing to follow prescribed navigation paths. The United States supports the passage of commercial vessels through the strait along paths that differ from those set by Tehran. Iran has stated it will target any vessel that does not coordinate with it before crossing the strategic waterway. On Thursday, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the completion of a new wave of offensive strikes on Iran, as the cycle of retaliatory attacks continues to expand across the region.
