Why Jordan Is Becoming a New Focus in the U.S.-Iran War
New York Times · LC · trust 48/100
Four Iranian attacks in five days have targeted U.S. troops in Jordan, U.S. officials said, including one on Friday that killed two soldiers and left another service member missing.
Listen · 4:09 min Share full article American and Jordanian forces took part in multinational military exercises hosted by Jordan in 2022. Credit... Jordan Pix/Getty Images By Greg Jaffe Julian E. Barnes and Jonathan Swan
The flurry of attacks and the losses they have caused are a sign that Iranian forces not only still have ample missile stocks but have also become more adept at evading U.S. air defense systems, said the U.S. officials, who were speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.
Jordan, which hosts major U.S. air bases, grew in importance in the run-up to and the early days of the war, as the Pentagon shifted a number of troops from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to relatively more secure locations in Jordan and Israel. The country’s role in U.S. operations has only increased as other American allies in the region have restricted Washington’s ability to base troops in and fly aircraft over their territories, the U.S. officials said.
In early July, Iran widened its attacks in the region, including Jordan for the first time since Tehran and Washington signed a cease-fire agreement in June.
The U.S. officials offered a recounting of the last five days of Iran’s attacks on Jordan, which the Pentagon has not yet discussed in detail publicly.
The first attack to hit U.S. forces in Jordan struck a residential facility at King Faisal Air Base, wounding as many as five U.S. service members, they said. The second hit a base in eastern Jordan where U.S. Blackhawk helicopters were operating from, damaging a significant number of them.
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