U.S. Central Command said the strikes are intended to ’swiftly punish’ Iranian forces responsible for the deaths of American troops in Jordan.
At President Donald Trump’s direction, U.S. forces launched a new wave of strikes at Iran on July 18, in what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) described as an answer to Iranian strikes on Jordan on July 17, which killed two U.S. troops and injured several others.
“Today at 6 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began launching new airstrikes against Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” CENTCOM announced in a statement.
“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 (IRGC) forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night.”
CENTCOM announced the completion of the strikes more than five hours later at 11:30 p.m. ET. The IRGC was targeted for launching deadly attacks on U.S. service members. U.S. forces also continued hitting Iran’s military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites.
Saturday’s strikes mark the eighth consecutive day of U.S. combat operations against Iran.
Iranian forces have responded with attacks targeting countries across the Middle East that have hosted U.S. forces.
CENTCOM said U.S. and partner forces were defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks on July 17 when the two U.S. troops were killed. Another U.S. service member has been missing since the attack.
Four more U.S. troops were hospitalized in Jordan as a result of their injuries but have since been discharged, according to CENTCOM. Other personnel sustained lesser injuries as a result of the Iranian strikes.
Since the conflict with Iran began at the end of February, 16 U.S. troops have been killed and more than 400 have sustained injuries.
The most recent days of fighting follow the collapse of a peace framework that Washington and Tehran agreed to in June. The deal faltered as Iran continued to vie for control over traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The memorandum of understanding stipulated that Iran would handle arrangements for commercial vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz safely and toll-free for 60 days, and would coordinate with Oman and other neighboring states to manage the waterway’s long-term administration.
New attacks on commercial ships in the strait began on July 6. Iranian authorities issued warnings against ships using routes it said were unauthorized to transit the strait, but did not claim direct responsibility for the attacks. Gulf countries and the United States have blamed Iran for the attacks.
Trump responded to those attacks on shipping by ordering responsive strikes on Iran.
On July 11, Iranian forces again fired on a commercial they said was attempting to use an unapproved route through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG) claimed responsibility for the attack. One Indian sailor was killed.
Tehran then declared the waterway closed “until the United States ends its intervention in the region.”
Following the Iranian order to close the strait, Trump directed U.S. forces to resume attacks on Iran. Since then, U.S. forces have struck Iranian targets daily, with recent operations targeting bridges and power plants.
Another Indian sailor was killed, and 14 more were injured in Iranian attacks on two different commercial ships on the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz on July 14.
The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization has reported a total of 17 sailors killed since the start of the hostilities with Iran on Feb. 28. Most deaths were in Omani waters, except three in Bahrain, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition to the strike targeting Jordan, Iranian forces have also claimed responsibility for attacks on U.S. outposts in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Kuwaiti authorities have reported that recent Iranian strikes have also begun targeting desalination plants, which are a critical source of drinking water for the region.
On Saturday, Iranian authorities said a U.S. strike also targeted a desalination plant near the Iranian city of Jask.
By Ryan Morgan
