Washington/Tehran/Amman: In a major escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Iran has reportedly destroyed a key U.S. missile-defense radar system in Jordan, dealing a significant blow to Washington’s regional security architecture.
According to defence and media reports, the radar — valued at around $300 million and linked to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system — was stationed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. The system is believed to have been severely damaged during an Iranian missile strike targeting American military assets in the region.
The destroyed equipment is understood to be the AN/TPY-2 X-band radar, a crucial component of the THAAD missile-defence network. The radar plays a vital role in detecting, tracking, and guiding interceptors toward incoming ballistic missiles, providing early warning for U.S. and allied forces.
Military analysts say the loss of the radar could temporarily weaken the effectiveness of the U.S. missile-defence shield across parts of the Middle East. The advanced radar is designed to track threats from thousands of kilometres away and relay real-time targeting data to interception systems.
The strike is being viewed as one of the most significant direct hits on U.S. missile-defence infrastructure since the current regional confrontation intensified. The THAAD network forms a key layer of Washington’s strategic air-defence system deployed across several allied territories.
Jordan hosts several American military facilities and plays a strategic role in monitoring missile and drone threats across the region. The destruction of the radar highlights the growing vulnerability of high-value defence assets as missile and drone warfare continues to reshape modern conflicts.
Security experts warn that the attack could further escalate tensions between Iran and the United States, while also raising fresh concerns over the resilience of Western missile-defence systems amid increasingly sophisticated aerial threats.
The development comes as the Middle East faces heightened military tensions, with multiple countries reinforcing their air-defence networks amid fears of wider regional confrontation.
