Iran strikes US base, targets ships as Gulf tensions surge

Iran has launched ballistic missiles at a US military facility in Jordan and attacked ships near the Strait of Hormuz, sharply escalating the six-month-old conflict after American forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers.

The latest confrontation has raised fresh fears that the widening war could disrupt global energy supplies, with oil prices moving rapidly towards the psychologically important $100-a-barrel mark.

Iran targets US forces in Jordan

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it fired ballistic missiles at a base used by US forces near Al Azraq in Jordan.

Tehran claimed the attack caused heavy damage, but Jordanian authorities said their air defences intercepted 18 of the 20 missiles. The remaining two landed in unpopulated areas, and no casualties were reported.

A US official also said the attack was ineffective and confirmed that all American troops were accounted for.

The strike came after the United States said it had destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers on Tuesday. US Central Command described the action as retaliation for attempted Iranian missile attacks on a US Navy warship over the previous two days.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that further Iranian attacks on American naval vessels would trigger additional action against Iranian tankers.

Hormuz becomes a new flashpoint

The confrontation has also spread deeper into the region’s critical shipping lanes.

The IRGC said it attacked 10 vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, including two US vessels and eight oil tankers. Iran described the targeted area as prohibited and unsafe.

The development has added to concerns about one of the world’s most important energy routes. Shipping activity through the strait has already fallen sharply. Preliminary Kpler data showed only six commodity vessels crossed the waterway on Tuesday, compared with a 10-day average of about 12.

The disruption is being closely watched by energy markets. Brent crude rose towards $100 a barrel on Wednesday, while US crude also climbed as traders assessed the risks to oil supplies.

Houthi attacks widen regional crisis

The escalation comes as Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen have expanded attacks against Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis said they launched drones and missiles against several Saudi targets, including a military base and energy facilities. Saudi authorities reported fires at targeted sites and said 73 people were wounded, including women and children.

The simultaneous attacks have raised concerns that the conflict could spread across multiple fronts, threatening shipping routes and energy infrastructure from the Gulf to the Red Sea.

With Washington seeking to keep oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz while restricting Iranian exports, and Tehran attempting to challenge that strategy, the latest exchanges have turned the waterway into a major battleground.

For global markets, the immediate concern is whether further attacks will push oil above $100 and trigger another wave of energy and inflation pressures.