Iran attacks US forces stationed in Jordan as escalation threatens fragile lull in conflict

Iranian forces launched ballistic missile and drone attacks against US military positions in Jordan, striking the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and killing two American service members. A third service member remains missing following the July 17 assault, which US Central Command confirmed as one of the deadliest single incidents in the broader US-Iran conflict that has simmered since February 2026.

Multiple waves of attacks across July

The July 17 attack was not an isolated event. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched multiple waves of strikes against US bases in Jordan throughout the month, turning a country that had largely served as a logistics hub into a frontline target.

The IRGC claimed responsibility for the operations, framing them as a response to what it called ongoing US aggression.

US air defenses intercepted the majority of incoming projectiles during several of the assault waves. The most recent assault wave came on July 28 and 29, when Iranian forces attempted what appeared to be a surprise attack. US and Jordanian forces successfully intercepted the incoming projectiles, and no American casualties were reported from that particular incident.

Jordan’s rising profile as a target

Jordan has long been a crucial hub for American military operations in the region, hosting training facilities, logistics centers, and air assets. The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, located in the country’s eastern desert, has been central to US operations for years.

The successful interception of the July 28-29 attack involved coordination between US and Jordanian forces, indicating that Amman is actively participating in the defense against Iranian strikes rather than merely hosting American assets.

Trump vows retaliation

President Trump responded to the strikes with a pledge to “hit them hard.” The deaths of US service members tend to shift domestic political calculations in ways that economic sanctions and proxy skirmishes do not. Two confirmed dead and one missing represents a significant casualty toll from the July 17 strikes alone, with some reports indicating as many as three fatalities associated with various incidents throughout that week.

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