Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched around 10 ballistic missiles at Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan on July 9, 2026. The base, which hosts US military forces, was targeted because it contains command centers, aircraft shelters, and drone facilities used in US operations.
Jordan’s air defense systems intercepted between five and eight missiles, preventing a larger attack. However, several missiles still hit the base and caused damage to military infrastructure. No casualties were reported.
The attack took place at around 2:20 p.m. local time. Al-Azraq, also known as Prince Hassan Air Base, is an important military hub for the US in the Middle East. Following the strike, concerns have grown that other US military bases in countries such as Kuwait and Bahrain could also become targets if tensions continue to rise.
This marks the most direct IRGC attack on a US-linked military base since January 2020, when Iran launched missiles at Iraq’s Al-Asad Air Base after the US killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. That attack injured more than 100 US service members.
Crypto Market Remains Stable
The military strike briefly shook the crypto market. Bitcoin traded near US$63,000 after the incident, while the broader crypto market saw more than US$1 billion in liquidations.
Liquidations happen when traders using borrowed funds (leverage) are forced to close their positions after prices move sharply against them. In this case, many traders who expected crypto prices to rise were caught off guard by the geopolitical news, triggering a wave of forced selling. Even so, the crypto market managed to stabilize without a major collapse.
US Tightens Pressure on Iran’s Crypto Sector
Separately, on June 2, 2026, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The move is aimed at limiting Iran’s ability to use digital assets to bypass international financial sanctions.
According to US authorities, Nobitex has played an important role in helping users move funds outside the traditional banking system, especially through stablecoins—cryptocurrencies whose value is tied to assets like the US dollar.
The sanctions also send a broader message to the crypto industry. They show that the US is willing to take action against major crypto exchanges operating in jurisdictions considered to have a high sanctions risk, raising compliance concerns for other exchanges around the world.
