Iranian ballistic missiles struck Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan overnight on September 8-9, damaging several US military aircraft in what the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps described as retaliation for American naval operations earlier that day. No US or Jordanian service members were killed in the attack.
The strike hit one of America’s most important forward operating locations in the Middle East, a facility also known as Al-Azraq, which has served as a hub for US air operations in the region for years. One A-10 Thunderbolt II lost an entire wing, while roughly eight F-15E Strike Eagles sustained lighter damage that proved repairable. Those jets have since been returned to service.
What happened on the ground
Jordan’s military performed well under pressure. Of the 20 Iranian ballistic missiles fired toward the base, Jordanian forces intercepted 18. The two that evaded defenses landed in unpopulated areas, meaning the actual base damage came from debris and the sheer kinetic energy of nearby intercepts rather than direct hits on the flight line.
US forces at the base fired more than 30 Patriot missile interceptors during the engagement. Patriot interceptors run roughly $4 million per missile depending on the variant. Firing 30-plus of them in a single night represents a significant draw on an inventory that has been under strain for months.
