The United States on Sunday launched new airstrikes against Iran to “swiftly punish” the country’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for an attack in Jordan that killed two American service members, left one missing, and four hospitalised, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
Strike to ‘swiftly punish’ IRGCย forcesย
In a post on X, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump, aimed at further degrading Iran’s ability to restrict the traffic of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway accounted for roughly 20 per cent of global oil supplies before the war.ย
“Today at 6 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began launching new airstrikes against Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction. The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night,” CENTCOM said.
16 US troops killed in Iran war
The latest US strikes came after the US military confirmed its first troop fatalities from direct Iranian fire since the early days of the conflict. The deaths occurred following a drone and missile attack on a US military base in Jordan on Friday.
In an official statement, CENTCOM described the attack that took place on July 17 while American and its partner forces were defending against the barrage. “Four American service members who were injured in the strikes were evacuated to hospitals in Jordan and have since been discharged, while others treated for minor injuries have returned to duty,” it added.
The CENTCOM confirmed the fatalities but did not identify the personnel killed or provide additional details about the attack.
According to official figures, 16 US service members have been killed, and more than 430 have been wounded since the US-Iran conflict began, underscoring the growing human cost of the escalating hostilities.
Minutes before the announcement, Iran’s supreme leader warned of “unforgettable lessons” if the US keeps attacking the Islamic Republic. The remarks read out on state TV and attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, still unseen since the war began, also called President Donald Trump’s signature “worthless and invalid.”ย
An Iranian negotiator said Tehran was suspending its commitments to the interim deal signed about a month ago and aimed at permanently ending the fighting.
(With AP inputs)
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