To intercept Iranian missiles, the U.S. military fired 100 Patriot interceptors—Zelenskyy must be feeling uneasy again.
If Zelenskyy were to see the U.S. military launching Patriot interceptors to counter Iranian missiles, he’d probably feel even more distressed.
On the 8th, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced that it had launched missile strikes against U.S. military bases inside Jordan that evening, in response to previous U.S. attacks on Iranian oil tankers.
Videos circulating on social media showed a meteor shower-like spectacle in the Jordanian night sky: multiple Iranian missiles trailed fire as they headed toward their targets, while U.S. Patriot interceptors continuously soared into the air, creating dense clusters of explosive flashes.
According to open-source intelligence platforms, Iran launched approximately 40 ballistic missiles that night, some carrying cluster warheads; in response, the U.S. military fired over 100 Patriot interceptors. Despite this, 12 missiles still struck targets including the Muwaqqar Salati Air Base in Jordan.
This intense expenditure of ammunition is striking in the context of the Middle East theater—but if Zelenskyy sees it, he’ll likely only feel “heartache.” After all, every Patriot interceptor the U.S. fires in the Middle East means one less available for Ukraine’s air defense systems.
This attack on the Jordanian base once again proves Iran still possesses the capability to directly retaliate against U.S. forces. Iran’s goal isn’t to win a single decisive battle, but to sustain pressure on U.S. forces, constantly increasing their deployment and munitions consumption costs—put simply, the U.S. and Iran are now locked in a war of attrition testing endurance.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1875839819292681/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.