Iran threatens US base in Jordan after Washington sinks five tankers

Iran has warned that it will target a United States military facility in Jordan after Washington announced the destruction of five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The statement came from the Revolutionary Guards’ navy, which also claimed to have seized a US unmanned submarine near the Strait of Hormuz.

The US operation, described by the Pentagon as a response to illegal shipping activity, marked the latest flashpoint in a series of confrontations that have already drawn the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into the dispute. On Wednesday, the IAEA’s board of governors referred Iran to the UN Security Council for the first time in two decades, accusing Tehran of obstructing investigations into undeclared uranium sites.

What triggered the latest escalation?

US naval forces intercepted five Iranian-flagged tankers that were allegedly attempting to breach a self‑imposed exclusion zone in the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon said the vessels were carrying illicit cargo and posed a security risk. In retaliation, the Revolutionary Guards announced attacks on two US ships and eight commercial tankers, describing the actions as a response to a "US attack on five Iranian tankers".

Later, the Guards claimed to have captured a US Dive‑LD autonomous underwater vehicle built by Anduril. The drone, according to Iranian state media, was "one of the most modern, intelligent and unmanned submarines of the terrorist American army".

We trapped one of the most modern, intelligent and unmanned submarines of the terrorist American army at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.

The Pentagon countered that the drone had malfunctioned days earlier and was an older model that did not carry sensitive data.

Why the threat to a Jordanian base matters

The United States maintains several forward operating sites in Jordan, used for training, logistics and regional surveillance. Targeting one of these installations would mark a significant escalation beyond naval skirmishes, potentially drawing Jordan into a direct confrontation.

Jordan has traditionally acted as a stabilising partner for Washington in the Middle East, hosting US troops and facilitating humanitarian aid. An Iranian strike could force the kingdom to reassess its security posture and might prompt a broader coalition response, affecting regional trade routes that pass through the Gulf and the Red Sea.

British maritime monitoring agency UKMTO reported several merchant vessels on fire in the northern Gulf and Gulf of Oman, underscoring the risk to commercial shipping. Any disruption could ripple through global energy markets, already volatile after the IAEA’s referral of Iran to the Security Council.

What comes next?

Analysts expect the United States to bolster defensive measures around its Jordanian facilities and to increase naval patrols in the Strait of Hormuz. The IAEA resolution, backed by the United States, Britain, France and Germany, is likely to lead to a Security Council debate that could result in new sanctions or inspection mandates.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have set out a list of conditions for ending what they call a "war" with the United States, including the release of $24 billion in frozen assets and the lifting of sanctions on its nuclear programme. Whether Tehran will pursue diplomatic channels or continue with kinetic threats remains uncertain.

For a deeper look at how the Iran‑US clash could affect global energy prices, see Bailey flags inflation upside as Iran conflict pushes energy prices higher.