Iran's IRGC claims Jordan helped target US forces, aircraft leaving 'dozens killed'

In a statement carried by the news agency, the paramilitary force asserted that the cross-border operation successfully obliterated 20 hangars housing US forces at Jordan's al-Azraq air base, resulting in the elimination of dozens of American troops.

However, official figures released by Washington present a vastly different casualty count, maintaining that 17 American service members have been killed since the conflict began.

Furthermore, the IRGC alleged that its arsenal of ballistic missiles directly struck US C-17 transport aircraft and P-8 surveillance aircraft stationed at Aqaba airport, inflicting severe structural devastation.

This sharp escalation materialised as Washington executed a fresh wave of aerial bombardments across Iran early Monday morning. The American offensive followed an official announcement confirming the death of another US soldier, which prompted Tehran to fire a volley of missiles towards neighbouring Jordan.

Prior to the early Monday strikes, the Pentagon clarified that its military operations specifically zeroed in on the IRGC to avenge the American personnel killed in Jordan during Friday's assault.

American defence officials noted that a service member remains unaccounted for post-attack, adding that "unidentified remains" recovered on Sunday were being examined. The total US death toll since the onset of hostilities stands at 17.

The intense exchange of hostilities, which has now stretched into its second consecutive week, has seen American fighter jets systematically strike critical infrastructure inside Iran, targeting bridges and electrical facilities.

Coinciding with the commencement of Monday's air raids, a maritime emergency unfolded in the strategic Strait of Hormuz off Oman's coastline, where the British military confirmed that a commercial ship caught fire.

While the exact trigger behind the blaze remains unclear, the vital shipping channel has seen merchant vessels navigating its waters under strict US naval advisories to completely steer clear of sea lanes under Iranian command.

The Revolutionary Guard later verified that it was deliberately targeting tankers inside the chokepoint.

Concurrently, Tehran has pressed ahead with its retaliatory strikes aimed at US-aligned Arab states in the region. Air defence networks across Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait were heavily activated once more to intercept waves of incoming Iranian drones and missiles.

Amid the ongoing aerial bombardments, the US Embassy in Bahrain issued an emergency security advisory early Monday, alerting that "Iran may seek to target unspecified locations in central Manama," the capital city, though it withheld specific operational details.

Tel Aviv also stepped forward with a regional warning, cautioning that Iranian missiles tracking towards Jordan risk triggering severe wildfires that could spill over into Israeli territory for the first time in weeks. (ANI)