Amman: Iran has launched a missile attack toward Jordan after the United States destroyed five Iranian oil tankers, sharply increasing tensions between Tehran and Washington and raising fresh concerns about US forces and commercial shipping in the region.
The Jordan Armed Forces said on Wednesday that 20 ballistic missiles were fired from Iranian territory toward Jordan. Jordanian air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 18 of them, while two fell in unpopulated areas.
Jordan said there were no casualties from the attack. Specialised teams were sent to locations where missile debris and fragments fell, while the military warned people not to approach or move unidentified objects.
The attack came after the US military said it had destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday. The United States said the action followed Iranian missile attacks against a US Navy warship.
The five tankers were identified as Kivik, Charminar, Horizon 1, Riesco and Derya. Four were reported in the Gulf of Oman, while Derya was near Kharg Island.
The US military said crews aboard the five tankers were warned to abandon their ships before the strikes. It also said the US warship successfully evaded the Iranian missile attacks and that no American personnel were harmed.
Iran has threatened further retaliation.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had attacked 10 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including two US vessels and eight oil tankers. Iran said the vessels were attempting to cross an area that it had declared prohibited and unsafe.
The reported attacks on the 10 vessels had not been independently confirmed in full, and the status of those vessels remained unclear.
Iran also claimed that its missile attack near Al Azraq in Jordan caused major damage to facilities used by US forces. Those claims have not been independently established. Jordan's official account confirms the missile attack and the interception of most of the missiles but does not report major damage to a US military facility.
The latest exchange has increased concern over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important routes for oil shipments.
Shipping through the waterway has fallen sharply amid the conflict. Preliminary shipping data showed that only six commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, compared with a 10 day average of 12 vessels.
The decline has added to concerns about the movement of oil and other energy products through the region.
Oil prices have risen as traders assess the risk of further disruption. Brent crude moved close to $100 a barrel on Wednesday, while US crude also gained.
The crisis is also spreading beyond the direct confrontation between Iran and the United States.
In Saudi Arabia, attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement on Tuesday wounded 73 people, including women and children, according to Saudi authorities.
The attacks affected areas including Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran. Saudi authorities said fires broke out at several energy facilities and some operations were temporarily halted.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attacks and said they were responding to Saudi military action in Yemen. Saudi Arabia condemned the attacks and said it would take measures to defend its territory.
The developments in Jordan and Saudi Arabia show how the conflict is affecting countries beyond Iran and the United States.
Jordan is a close US ally and hosts American military personnel. Its location has made the country vulnerable to the wider conflict as Iran and the United States continue their confrontation.
The latest missile attack did not cause casualties according to Jordanian authorities, but the continuing exchange of attacks has increased the risks facing military personnel, civilians and commercial shipping in the region.
The situation around the Strait of Hormuz also remains uncertain. Iran has threatened further action against shipping, while the United States is seeking to maintain the movement of commercial vessels through the waterway.
With military operations continuing, oil prices rising and attacks affecting more countries, the latest developments have increased fears of a wider regional crisis and further disruption to the global economy.