Iran has launched a missile barrage against US military positions in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in its confrontation with Washington.

The strikes were carried out in direct retaliation for attacks on Iranian oil tankers near Kharg Island and the Jask port. According to Arab media reports cited by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, Iranian missiles successfully struck a US base operating in Jordan.

The missile offensive followed a series of US strikes on Iranian maritime assets in regional waters. IRIB reported that the first attack targeted an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island, where crew members were safely evacuated. Shortly afterwards, US forces attacked another commercial vessel in the coastal waters off Jask County, with an additional explosion of unidentified origin reported in the same area.

In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy issued an urgent evacuation warning. Addressing crews of vessels in neighbouring ports, the IRGC vowed to retaliate by targeting oil tankers near Bahraini and Kuwaiti ports.

The IRGC declared that tanker crews in these ports should immediately abandon their vessels, warning that they would be targeted as part of Iran’s retaliation against what it described as atrocities committed by the American “terrorist army.”

Tensions across the strategic waterways and regional host nations remain at critical levels as both sides continue exchanging strikes. The situation has heightened fears of further escalation in the Gulf region, where maritime traffic is already under severe strain.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s IRGC Navy claimed to have captured a US unmanned submersible at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. According to IRIB, the operation was described as a complex intelligence and operational manoeuvre. The IRGC Navy stated that its fighters had trapped one of the most modern and intelligent unmanned submarines belonging to the US military at dawn.

The submersible, delivered to the US fleet in 2025, is reportedly equipped with the latest underwater technology. Iran’s state news agency IRNA described the vessel as a “war trophy” and confirmed that photographs of the captured submarine would be released in the coming hours. The seizure represents a significant intelligence gain for Tehran, which has long sought to counter US technological superiority in the region.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump linked the ongoing military operations directly to global energy markets. On Monday, he claimed that oil prices would drop sharply once the United States achieved victory in its conflict with Iran.

He forecast that gas prices could fall below $2 per gallon, equivalent to approximately ₹166 per 10 litres. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that oil prices would “drop precipitously” once Washington won the war, adding that markets would stabilise rapidly thereafter.

He further reiterated his threat that the US would never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Trump insisted that the conflict would end quickly and declared that Iran would be prevented from achieving nuclear capability. His remarks underscored Washington’s determination to maintain military pressure while signalling confidence in a swift resolution.

The developments highlight the growing volatility in the Gulf region, where maritime security, energy markets, and nuclear proliferation concerns are converging into a single flashpoint. With Iran escalating its retaliatory strikes and the US intensifying its military posture, the risk of a wider regional conflict remains acute.

ANI