Overnight Iranian raids on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan damaged several U.S. military planes, CBS News said, a new escalation in the growing tension between Washington and Tehran.
Sources close to the incident told CBS News that the U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt, commonly called the “Warthog,” was struck and was badly damaged, including losing part of a wing.
The strike also caused lighter damage to about eight F-15 fighter jets. Reportedly, the planes were later returned to use. The latest strikes on the base did not result in any known U.S. deaths.
The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a U.S. close-air support aircraft designed primarily to provide protection and fire support for ground forces. The vehicle’s moniker “Warthog” comes from its unique design and substantial armour.
The CBS report said the aircraft had been directly struck in the nocturnal raid and was missing one of its wings.
Separately, Air & Space Forces Magazine said an A-10 had serious wing damage and roughly eight F-15E Strike Eagles had moderate damage but were flyable, citing persons familiar with the situation.
Some of the Iranian rockets apparently got past the defences defending the base to a certain degree, as evidenced by the damage recorded.
Eight of the F-15s were said to have received very little damage and all were later returned to active service.
It was not immediately clear the level of damage to individual planes.
The incident is nonetheless significant because Muwaffaq Salti Air Base is a vital U.S. military installation in Jordan and has been attacked regularly during the conflict.
The U.S. and Jordan’s air defences shot down a lot of Iranian missiles and drones that were aimed against the kingdom, but the latest event shows some of the incoming weapons were able to reach the facility.
CBS News also stated that U.S. military in Jordan fired off more than 30 interceptor missiles in attempts to protect against the Iranian attack.
The significant usage of Patriots comes amid broader concerns about the availability of U.S. air defence interceptors and other precision-guided weapons as the fight grinds on.
The incident came after the United States said it had attacked five Iranian oil tankers in a move that it said was reprisal for attacks on a US Navy warship.
Iran later said it had initiated assaults against American and other targets in the region, including the U.S. facility in Jordan.
The latest attack comes amid rising strain on American personnel deployed around the Middle East as the rivalry between the United States and Iran continues to escalate.
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base has already been hit in the fighting. “Some Iranian missiles had penetrated U.S. and Jordanian air-defence systems,” CBS said. “The base had been hit repeatedly.
The damage reported against U.S. aircraft is expected to focus additional attention on the effectiveness and durability of American air-defense operations in the region.
It also comes as Washington is under larger military pressures from attacks on its forces and the disruption of transportation and energy supplies tied to the wider fight.
No U.S. deaths were immediately reported in the latest strike on the Jordanian site, although the aircraft was reportedly damaged.
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The Pentagon has not issued a comprehensive evaluation of the reported damage to the aircraft, nor has it revealed data about the weapons that hit the aircraft.
Independent verification of combat claims is especially critical because U.S. officials have previously challenged Iranian claims about military damage in the conflict.
For now, the claimed loss of the A-10 and damage to several F-15s is just another indicator of the mounting peril faced by American military bases around the Middle East.
The fight will continue to raise concerns about the capabilities of U.S. and coalition troops to defend aircraft, soldiers and bases from repeated missile and drone attacks, he said.
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