Jordan intercepts Iranian missiles after US launches ‘heavy’ strikes on Iran

Jordanian air defences intercepted five missiles launched from Iran on Thursday morning, the state-run Petra news agency reported. This followed a "heavy wave of strikes against Iran" by the US military, in retaliation for an earlier Iranian missile attack on an American base in Jordan.No casualties were reported from Jordan's interception, the country's armed forces spokesman confirmed.The US Central Command stated via social media that for over two hours, American forces had struck "dozens" of targets belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. These included military command centres, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance and defence sites.The new strikes followed US President Donald Trump's vow to hit Iran "very hard" after its attack on the base hosting US troops.The new strikes followed US President Donald Trump's vow to hit Iran "very hard" after its attack on the base hosting US troops. (Razieh Poudat/ISNA via Associated Press)Iranian state media, meanwhile, reported two people were wounded in attacks on Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz, with explosions also noted in Khuzestan province to the northwest.The latest barrage came after the US partnered with Saudi Arabia to strike Iran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers on Wednesday.Elsewhere, drone strikes ignited fires on two natural gas vessels at the Egyptian port of Damietta, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the strikes on a US-owned floating storage facility and a Greek-owned tanker. No injuries were reported.The flare-ups on multiple fronts after several days of relative calm raised the risk of a return to all-out war. It also underscored the difficulty of winding down a five-month conflict that has jolted the world economy and is unpopular among Americans. The fighting was also likely to add to concerns that the US is further drawing down already diminished stockpiles of sophisticated munitions needed to defend its bases and allies.Oil prices gave up some of their gains today as oil tankers continued to make their way out of the Middle East even as tensions there escalated, with ​the US-Iran war spreading beyond its main fronts.Brent futures fell $1.29, or 1.42 per cent, to $89.45 a ‌barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 56 cents, or 0.66 per cent, to $83.90 a barrel.Brent settled up 7.91 per cent in the previous session and WTI up 6.56 per cent in one of the sharpest spikes of the Iran war, reversing ​a 5 per cent plunge on Tuesday after a pause in hostilities in the five-month conflict.