Trump denies US aircraft damage in Iranian attack on Jordan base

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has rejected reports that several American military aircraft were damaged in Iranian attacks on a US military facility in Jordan, dismissing claims that the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base suffered damage.

Speaking about the reported Iranian strikes, Trump said there had been no damage and described reports of harm to the US air base in Jordan as completely unfounded.

Trump’s comments came after reports emerged claiming that Iranian retaliatory attacks had damaged multiple US military aircraft stationed at the Jordanian facility.

The conflicting accounts have drawn attention as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a dangerous military confrontation, with attacks and counterattacks raising concerns about a wider escalation across the region.

According to US media reports cited in the initial accounts, several American aircraft were damaged during the overnight attack on the Jordanian base.

CBS News correspondent Jennifer Jacobs, citing people familiar with the situation, reported that multiple US military aircraft had been affected.

A separate report citing a US official claimed that an A-10 Thunderbolt II and eight F-15 fighter jets were damaged in the attack.

The reports indicated that the F-15 aircraft suffered relatively minor damage and were subsequently returned to service.

The alleged strike was described as an Iranian response to an earlier US military operation targeting five Iranian crude oil tankers.

However, the reports have not been reconciled with Trump’s latest statement, which directly disputes the claim that American aircraft or the base suffered damage.

The conflicting claims have created uncertainty over the extent of damage, if any, caused by the Iranian attack.

While Trump has categorically rejected reports of damage, earlier accounts attributed to US media and American officials suggested that several aircraft were affected.

The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan has strategic importance for US military operations in the region and has been used to support American air operations.

The latest dispute comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, with military strikes threatening to widen the conflict beyond the immediate areas of confrontation.

Trump’s denial is likely to draw further scrutiny as US officials and media outlets assess satellite imagery, military assessments and other evidence concerning the reported attack.

For now, there is no publicly established independent account that conclusively resolves the conflicting claims. The disagreement between the US president’s statement and reports attributed to American officials leaves the extent of any damage at the Jordanian base unclear.