By TheDailyNewsHub
At least nine U.S. military aircraft were damaged after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack against the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, according to U.S. officials and defence reports.
The reported damage includes one A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft that suffered severe damage to its wing, while approximately eight F-15 fighter jets sustained lighter damage.
The details were first reported by CBS News, which cited people with direct knowledge of the damage who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the incident publicly.
It was subsequently reported that a U.S. official confirmed that Iranian strikes had damaged multiple American military aircraft at the Jordanian base.
The A-10, popularly known as the “Warthog”, was reportedly struck during the attack and left with a missing wing. The roughly eight F-15s sustained less severe damage and were subsequently returned to service, according to the reports.
The incident occurred during an Iranian ballistic missile barrage against the U.S.-used air base on September 8, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.
Jordanian authorities said their air-defence forces engaged 20 ballistic missiles launched towards Jordan, with 18 intercepted and destroyed and two falling in unpopulated areas. No casualties were reported in the Jordanian account.
The United States reportedly used more than 30 Patriot missile interceptors while defending against the Iranian attack, according to a U.S. official cited by Reuters.
The reported damage provides a rare indication that at least some Iranian missiles were able to get through the layers of air defence protecting the base, although publicly available reports have not established precisely which missiles caused the damage to the aircraft.
Air & Space Forces Magazine reported that the A-10 suffered a severely damaged wing and that around eight F-15E Strike Eagles were lightly damaged but remained serviceable. The publication also said U.S. Central Command had not immediately provided a detailed public response to questions about the aircraft damage.
The attack followed U.S. military action against five Iranian oil tankers. Iran subsequently launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. military assets and other targets in the region.
The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, located near Azraq in eastern Jordan, is an important U.S. military facility and a key airpower hub for American operations in the region. Iran has previously targeted the facility during the ongoing conflict.
The reported aircraft damage is significant because the F-15 and A-10 are important components of U.S. air operations. However, the reports indicate that the approximately eight F-15s affected in the latest attack were returned to service, meaning they were not permanently lost.
The condition and future of the damaged A-10 remain less clear.
The incident highlights the continuing ability of Iranian ballistic missiles to threaten U.S. military installations in the region despite extensive air-defence efforts.
It also comes amid growing concerns over U.S. stocks of Patriot interceptors and other precision-guided weapons as Washington continues its military campaign against Iran.
TheDailyNewsHub will continue to monitor developments surrounding the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict and its impact on American military assets and regional security.