Jordan Says Downs Iranian Ballistic Missiles Targeting US Base
The government of Jordan said it intercepted four Iranian ballistic missiles targeting a US air base in the country after a warning by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) that Amman dismantle American bases in the kingdom.
Jordanian state media quoted a government statement as saying the missiles were shot down on July 14 after they entered the country's airspace.
The IRGC confirmed the attack in a statement released through the Fars news agency, though it added that the strikes were not intended to harm Jordanians.
"You know very well that not only do we not have any enmity with your country, but we also love you, the noble people, who understand the pain and oppression of the Palestinian people more than any other nation," the IRGC said in the statement.
There were no immediate reports of casualties from falling debris after the missiles were shot down.
US Military Says Naval Blockade Against Iran To Resume At 4 P.M. Eastern Time
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said a naval blockade against all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports will be reinstated from 4 p.m. Eastern Time on July 14.
"CENTCOM forces will enforce the blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas. The U.S. military continues to support traffic flow through regional waters for all vessels not violating the blockade," CENTCOM said in a statement.
The move comes after President Donald Trump said on July 13 that US forces would become the "Guardian Angel" of the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has struck commercial vessels in recent days.
The UK maritime security agency UKMTO reported another tanker being struck by a missile while transiting the strait near Oman's coast on July 14.