Security
Why Iran is Targeting Jordan's Al-Azraq Airbase Hosting US Forces
Al Jazeera · 2 weeks ago · Read the Full Story on Al Jazeera
AI SUMMARY
Iran has launched a ballistic missile attack targeting Jordan's Al-Azraq airbase, which hosts US military personnel and advanced fighter jets, amid rising regional tensions.
- Iran fired 20 ballistic missiles at Jordan's Al-Azraq airbase, with Jordanian forces intercepting 18 and the remaining two landing in open areas without causing casualties.
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the strikes targeted maintenance, preparation, and deployment sites of F-35, F-16, and F-15 fighter jets.
- The attack is part of a broader escalation that began two weeks ago when the US struck rocket launchers on Iran's Larak island in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Jordan hosts nearly 4,000 US soldiers across various installations, including the Al-Azraq base, King Faisal Air Base, and Tower 22.
- Under a 2021 defense cooperation agreement, US forces and contractors have access to 12 military installations across Jordan.
- The Al-Azraq base serves as a crucial strategic and logistics hub for US intelligence, surveillance, and combat operations in Syria and Iraq.
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