Multiple U.S. military aircraft have been damaged in an Iranian missile attack on a key American-operated air base in Jordan, adding to mounting personnel, aircraft and ammunition losses as the war with Iran stretches beyond six months.
A U.S. official told Reuters that Iranian strikes hit the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan this week, damaging several American aircraft. One A-10 Thunderbolt II, commonly known as the Warthog, was hit so severely that it was left missing a wing, while around eight F-15 fighter jets suffered lighter damage and were subsequently returned to service.
The latest damage represents another sign of the growing pressure on U.S. forces across the Middle East as Washington and Tehran continue exchanging attacks.
Iran launched the strike after U.S. forces destroyed five Iranian crude-oil tankers, according to Washington. The United States said the tanker attacks were carried out after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had targeted an American Navy warship with ballistic missiles on two occasions.
Iran subsequently fired ballistic missiles toward the U.S. military presence near Al Azraq in Jordan.
Jordanian authorities said 20 ballistic missiles were launched toward the country. Jordan’s air defences intercepted 18, while the remaining two landed in uninhabited areas. No casualties were reported from that particular attack.
However, subsequent reports revealed that American military equipment had sustained damage despite the interceptions.
According to a U.S. official cited by Reuters, American forces fired roughly 30 Patriot interceptors while defending the base, further highlighting concerns over the rate at which advanced U.S. air-defence ammunition is being consumed during the conflict.
The aircraft damage comes against a backdrop of mounting U.S. military losses since the conflict began on February 28, 2026.
The United States has reported 18 military personnel killed and more than 750 wounded during the Iran war.
American forces have also lost significant numbers of aircraft and drones through Iranian attacks and operational accidents.
A Congressional Research Service assessment cited by Reuters reported that 42 U.S. military aircraft had already been lost or damaged by May. Since then, additional drones and aircraft have been destroyed or damaged as fighting has continued.
The damage to the A-10 and F-15s in Jordan therefore adds to a military burden that is becoming increasingly difficult for Washington to ignore.
The war is also putting significant pressure on America’s stockpile of sophisticated air-defence weapons.
An estimate from the Center for Strategic and International Studies cited by Reuters suggested the United States had used around 65 percent of its Patriot interceptor inventory by July, while its stockpile of THAAD interceptors had also fallen significantly.
Reuters has separately reported that senior U.S. military officials are concerned about overstretched forces and shortages of some precision weapons as the conflict continues.
The challenge is particularly acute because relatively expensive American interceptors are repeatedly being used to defend bases, warships and regional allies against Iranian missiles and drones.
Jordan, a longstanding U.S. ally, has become one of the countries most directly exposed to the widening confrontation.
Iran has repeatedly targeted American military facilities in Jordan during the war. Earlier Iranian attacks in the country have killed U.S. military personnel, while Jordan has repeatedly activated its air-defence systems to intercept incoming missiles and drones.
The latest attack underscores the difficult position facing Amman as it attempts to protect its territory while hosting U.S. forces involved in regional military operations.
The escalation is not limited to Jordan.
Iran and the United States have intensified attacks on shipping near the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran-aligned Houthi forces have also expanded operations around Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea.
Recent attacks have pushed international oil prices sharply higher and increased fears that prolonged conflict could threaten critical energy and shipping routes connecting the Gulf with global markets.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has faced growing political pressure at home as the human and financial costs of the war rise ahead of the November U.S. midterm elections.
Trump has maintained that preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon remains a central objective of the campaign. Iran continues to insist that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes.
The latest Iranian strike demonstrates that even heavily defended American bases remain vulnerable to sustained missile attacks.
Although most incoming missiles targeting Jordan were intercepted and the damaged F-15s were able to return to service, the destruction suffered by the A-10 and the heavy use of Patriot missiles highlight a broader problem facing Washington.
After more than six months of fighting, the conflict is no longer being measured solely by individual battles. American troop casualties, damaged aircraft, depleted missile inventories and extended military deployments are steadily increasing the strategic cost of the Iran war.
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