US launches fresh strikes on Iran, as Trump warns of retaliation for deaths of soldiers
BBC News 2026-07-21 00:14:27
Context: The US military has launched a new round of strikes against Iran, marking the 10th consecutive night of attacks, in an effort to degrade Iran's capabilities to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz. This escalation comes after US President Donald Trump vowed to punish Iran for the deaths of US soldiers, with two soldiers identified as Pte Isabella Gonzales and Lt Tyler James Feehan. The conflict has also involved exchanges between Iran and other countries in the region, including Jordan, Syria, and Bahrain.
Key Facts
- The US military's new round of strikes against Iran aims to "further degrade" its capabilities to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and this marks the 10th consecutive night of attacks.
- Two US soldiers killed in an Iranian strike on the Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan have been identified as Pte Isabella Gonzales, 19, from Texas, and Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25, from Hawaii.
- Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr, and Bandar Imam Khomeini, were hit in the previous night's US strikes.
- Jordan's military shot down three Iranian missiles on Monday, while Kuwait's armed forces intercepted Iranian drones and Bahrain reported drones launched by Iran targeting its air navigation systems.
- The US Central Command (Centcom) disputed Iranian claims that two oil tankers had exploded in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stating that the tankers were going through an "unsafe and hazardous southern route" of the strait.