After 6 months of war, Iran appears ready for a potentially long confrontation with the US
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Iran has reportedly launched a fresh round of ballistic missile attacks against a US military position in Jordan, hours after American forces struck Iranian launchers on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz, in a potentially major escalation of the US-Iran conflict.
Video circulating online early on Monday (August 31) appears to show multiple air-defence interceptors being launched over Jordan. The reported target is Muwaffaq Salti Air Base near Azraq, east of Amman, a key Jordanian air installation that hosts US forces.
Fars news agency also reported the missile launches from Iran.
Jordan, the US Central Command and Iran had not publicly confirmed the latest reported attack at this time, and details about the number of missiles, interceptions, casualties or damage remained unclear.
A US source told Fox News: “Nearly all incoming missiles have been intercepted at this point."
The Strait of Hormuz is facing a fresh escalation after the United States struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island that Washington says were being prepared to deploy rockets carrying sea mines into the strategic waterway
The Aug. 30 strikes mark the first known direct US attack on Iranian forces since late July, raising the risk of renewed confrontation around one of the world's most important energy chokepoints, CNN and Reuters reported.
A classified Pentagon assessment has directly warned Trump's war secretary Pete Hegseth that extending the Iran war will leave the US military dangerously weakened — with senior commanders telling him America can no longer afford to fight this conflict without breaking itself, per The Washington Post.
The assessment highlights a growing, dangerous rift between Pentagon leaders and the administration's political timeline. While Washington projects strength publicly, the classified reality is devastating:
Munitions stockpiles are already critically depleted — there's nothing left to sustain a prolonged campaign.
Logistics and personnel are stretched to the breaking point by the regional footprint.
A prolonged war could leave the US completely vulnerable to opportunistic escalation by Russia or China.
Hegseth can demand "overwhelming firepower," but you cannot fight a global war with an empty magazine, the influential daily stated. And the generals are warning him: the magazine is almost empty.
Iran’s Fars news agency says residents on Iran’s Larak Island have reported hearing an explosion, the cause of which is unknown.
An incident involving a crude oil tanker being struck by an unknown projectile while transiting inbound was reported in the Strait of Hormuz.
On 30 August 2026, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Operations Centre issued Warning 122-26 (Attack), reporting a late notification of the incident.
Turkey will host Saudi Arabia and Pakistan for the first ministerial meeting of their new regional defence grouping on Monday, Turkish sources said Sunday.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed earlier this month commits the three countries to mutual defence in the event of any of them being attacked.
The pact came against a backdrop of war between the United States and Iran and attacks in the region from Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.
Monday's meeting will be chaired by the Turkish foreign and defence ministers as well as the chief of the general staff.
Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Sunday called on Muslim countries in the region to unite against the United States and Israel, in a written message issued six months on from the start of the Middle East war.
Khamenei, in power since his father Ali Khamenei was killed at the start of the war on February 28, has yet to be seen in public since his appointment, and authorities have not released any video or audio of him.
"The solution to the problems of the Islamic nations is unity of words, friendship, and cooperation on the path of goodness," he said, according to his official website.
The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln sailed past Singapore early on Sunday as it headed home after a grueling deployment in the Middle East. It's expected to stop in Thailand for a port visit.
Associated Press journalists on the Indonesian island of Batam, across the Singapore Strait, spotted the massive vessel as it transited waters near Singapore just after 1am local time.
The Lincoln, one of the US Navy's largest warships, was supporting the US war against Iran. Its deployment included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 250 days. Concerns have grown about the Lincoln's lengthy deployment following reports of deteriorating mental health among the crew and shortages of supplies including food and hygiene products.
Thai officials have said the Lincoln will stop in Thailand for rest and recovery before returning to its US base.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Iran and the United States is in the interests of the country, West Asia and the world.
During a ceremony in the Iranian capital Tehran, he stressed that with the MoU's implementation, the United States and Israel will not be able to cause chaos, aggression and insecurity in the region, and regional states will be able to pursue the path of stability and development, according to a statement published on the website of his office.
Pezeshkian highlighted the need for foiling the "enemies' sinister plots" through promoting unity and solidarity among Muslim states, reports Xinhua news agency.
He said that Iran has never been the party to start a war, adding, "We do not welcome war, but will stand strongly against any aggressor, and no power can force a nation that is standing with all its might and will into surrender."
