US Army Patriot air defense batteries continuously fired to counter an Iranian ballistic missile attack in the early morning on 9/9, according to a video released by OSINTdefender, a social media account specializing in open-source intelligence on warfare. The footage, recorded by "on-site sources at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan", showed a barrage of interceptors.

In the video, Patriot missiles were continuously launched, creating streaks of light and columns of smoke across the sky. Several appeared to successfully intercept targets heading towards the base.

US Patriot battery fires to protect Muwaffaq Salti base in video released on 13/9. Video: X/sentdefender

Estimates on the number of Patriot missiles launched vary. Ukraine's defense news outlet Defense Express estimated around 60 Patriot missiles were fired to protect the Muwaffaq Salti base, while military specialization site Defense Security Asia suggested the number could be nearly 100. Defense Express noted, "Patriot batteries had to fire like machine guns to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles."

Turkey's defense analysis site Clash Report cited "data shared with US congressional offices", indicating that US forces launched 96-128 PAC-3 MSE missiles to counter approximately 32 targets. "This means Patriot batteries fired 3-5 missiles for each Iranian missile", Clash Report stated.

Most of the missiles used were the most modern PAC-3 MSE model, costing about 4-5 million USD each. In addition, air defense batteries may have also fired some older PAC-2 GEM-T missiles, each costing 2-4 million USD depending on the production batch.

The New York-based Eastern Herald newspaper commented, "The US military may have spent approximately 380-640 million USD on air defense missiles in one night to respond to Iran's attack." US Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, has not commented on the information.

Satellite images of Muwaffaq Salti base on 8/9 and 10/9. Video: Soar

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on the early morning of 9/9 that it had carried out a ballistic missile attack targeting "US military infrastructure at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan." This action was in retaliation for an attack on five crude oil tankers the previous day.

The IRGC stated, "In this operation, a large number of ballistic missiles, including solid and liquid-fueled models, hit hangars and maintenance, preparation, and deployment areas for F-35, F-15, and F-16 fighter jets, causing heavy damage to the enemy."

Prior to this, AMK Mapping, an X account specializing in open-source intelligence on warfare, assessed that Iran had launched approximately 30-40 ballistic missiles from various launch sites. These missiles targeted US military facilities in Aqaba city, along with Muwaffaq Salti and Prince Hassan air bases in Jordan.

The Jordanian military announced it responded to 20 ballistic missiles aimed at its territory, successfully intercepting 18 of them. The remaining two missiles reportedly fell in "uninhabited areas."

US and allied radar sites attacked by Iran in the first three weeks of conflict. Graphics: ABC News

Muwaffaq Salti is a significant military installation, serving as home to three F-16 fighter squadrons of the Jordanian Air Force and the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing of the US Air Force. The base also functions as a key hub for Operation Inherent Resolve, acting as a staging point for numerous F-15E, F-16, F-22, F-35A, and A-10 fighter squadrons.

In addition to the expenditure of Patriot missiles, Iran's attack on 9/9 also caused damage to equipment stationed at the base. CBS News, citing knowledgeable sources, reported that at least eight F-15E multirole fighter jets and one US A-10 attack aircraft were hit. The A-10 sustained a broken wing and is likely inoperable, while the F-15Es suffered minor damage and are expected to quickly return to duty.

Images appearing on social media the same day showed UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters being transported by truck, seemingly in the process of evacuating from Muwaffaq Salti base. At least one of them was damaged, but the time the video was recorded is unclear. However, President Donald Trump on 10/9 denied these reports, stating "no US aircraft were damaged" in the attack on Muwaffaq Salti.

Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, Clash Report, Eastern Herald)