Iran Retaliates with Attacks on Jordan and UAE Following US Strikes on Larak Island

Iran has conducted retaliatory strikes on US military bases in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in response to the recent US attack on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This marks the first active exchange between the two nations since late July, as tensions continue to escalate in the region.

The Iranian strikes came after the US military claimed to have targeted and hit two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, which Iran claimed were preparing to fire missiles carrying naval mines towards the waterway. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has since defended its actions, stating that the attack was a necessary measure to eliminate an imminent threat to civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and global commerce.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has emphasized that his country is not seeking war but will not tolerate aggression. Speaking following the US attack, Pezeshkian stated that Iran would provide a “decisive response” to any attack and that instability and unrest in the region were not in the interest of any country.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that the US attacks on Sunday night resulted in casualties among both Iranian soldiers and civilians. The IRGC spokesperson, Sardar Mohebi, accused the US of making a “strategic and fatal mistake” that would have consequences in both economic and military terms.

In a response to the US strikes, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the action as a “direct violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The IRGC then carried out a combined missile and drone operation targeting the King Hussein and Al Azraq US military bases in Jordan, according to Iranian media reports.

The Jordanian army reported that it had intercepted eight missiles fired by Iran, which breached the Kingdom’s airspace at dawn. This attack on Jordan was described by Tehran as a legitimate exercise of self-defence under the UN Charter, targeting bases identified as the launching ground for the Sunday night attack on Larak Island.

Meanwhile, Iran’s armed forces also targeted US military assets at the Al Menhad airbase in the UAE with dozens of drones. The attack was aimed at locations where US forces and helicopters were stationed, in what Tehran described as revenge for the deaths of IRGC members and civilians during the attack on Larak Island.

US officials have claimed that they were able to intercept Iran’s attacks against Jordan, arguing that the missile attack on US forces in Jordan proved that Iran is no longer the power it once was. This assessment was met with skepticism by some experts, who view the attacks as a political statement rather than an indication of Iran’s military capabilities.

Harlan Ullman, a retired US senior naval officer, told Al Jazeera that the attacks on Jordan were a clear signal to the country that it is a target. “It is a politically significant target,” he said, adding that the attack was carried out with malice aforethought, not necessarily to cause damage to the Americans but to send a message to Jordanians about their support for the US.

As tensions remain high, the diplomatic efforts to end the six-month-old war, which has disrupted global oil supply and sent shockwaves through the global economy, appear to be facing significant challenges. With Iran’s retaliatory strikes and the US’s continued military actions, the future of stability in the region remains uncertain.