US Launches New Strikes To "Swiftly Punish" Iran After 2 Troops Killed In War
The US launched the eighth consecutive night of strikes hours after announcing that two American soldiers were killed in Iran's attack on Jordan.
The United States on Sunday launched new strikes to "punish" Iran after two American soldiers were killed in Tehran's attack on Jordan. The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said the eighth consecutive night of strikes was to "swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night."
The strikes, ordered by US President Donald Trump, were "designed to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said.
"During the eighth consecutive night of US strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities," CENTCOM said on X.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the completion of another round of retaliatory strikes, for the eighth night in a row, against Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites, which were… pic.twitter.com/RERFU8abRY
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 19, 2026
They also targeted Iranian Guards that launched attacks against US service members in Jordan on July 17.
"More than 50,000 U.S. men and women in uniform are operating across the Middle East. They remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready," CENTCOM added.
Hours earlier, it announced that two US soldiers were killed on Friday as they "defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks." It said another service member was still missing in action.
The US has so far confirmed that 16 military personnel have been killed since the war broke out on February 28 with massive US-Israeli strikes.
"Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. They have since been discharged. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty," it said.
CENTCOM Statement on Recently Fallen, Missing U.S. Service Members
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 18, 2026
TAMPA, Fla. — On July 17, two U.S. service members in Jordan were killed in action as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally,…
In Jordan, the Iranian state broadcaster reported that fuel tanks at Al-Azraq US base were targeted. The day before, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked US aircraft stationed in the country with missiles and drones.
US-Iran War Resumes
The US resumed its attacks earlier this month after accusing Tehran of targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most vital energy conduit. In response, Tehran has been attacking American military sites in Gulf countries.
Smoke seen following a strike at an unknown location during the US' strikes on Iran on July 16
The new strikes come a month after the two countries signed a now-abandoned preliminary deal aimed at ending the war.
Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, had signed a 14-point deal to end the Middle East war on June 17.
The agreement provided for an immediate cessation of military operations, including in Lebanon, and commits both countries to pursuing a final agreement within 60 days.
Trump, however, on July 8 said the deal was "over." Tehran also later suspended the memorandum of understanding, accusing Washington of "violating all its commitments."
Mojtaba Khamenei Vows To Teach US "Unforgettable Lessons"
Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who took over from his father, Ali Khamenei, after he was killed in the strikes on February 28, said the ongoing attacks on his country "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature."
"The repeated breaches of the agreement by the Great Satan [the US] regarding the MOU signed by the Presidents of Iran and the US have once again laid bare a fundamental truth: the signature of the US President is utterly worthless and devoid of credibility," Mojtaba, who has not been seen in public since the conflict began, posted on X.
Photo Credit: Reuters
"Now that the American enemy is seeking to escalate the conflict thereby incurring even heavier costs and further humiliation, it should know that the noble nation of Iran and the Resistance Front have unforgettable lessons in store for it," he added.
Mojtaba's senior military adviser, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, warned that Iran would resume "full-scale offensive operations" if US strikes continued in the coming days.
"Iran will no longer limit itself to retaliatory, like-for-like responses," he said, according to state media.
Source: NDTV Trending
