Trump says the latest US strikes on Iran were carried out in tribute to American soldiers killed in recent attacks, while both sides continue exchanging military strikes, pushing hopes of diplomacy further out of reach.
US President Donald Trump has defended America’s latest military strikes on Iran, saying they were launched “in honour” of three US service members killed in recent days as the confrontation between Washington and Tehran continued to intensify.
The remarks came after the US military carried out a fresh wave of attacks across Iran overnight, marking the ninth consecutive night of military operations. Explosions were reported in several Iranian cities as the conflict entered another dangerous phase.
According to US Central Command (Centcom), the strikes targeted military facilities and communications infrastructure with the aim of weakening Iran’s ability to launch attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest energy trade routes.
Speaking after the operation, Trump said the attacks hit Iran “very hard” and described them as a response to the deaths of American troops stationed in the Middle East.
The Pentagon recently confirmed that three US service members had been killed in separate attacks linked to Iran-backed operations. Two soldiers died during an attack on a military base in Jordan, while another was killed in northern Iraq.
The two troops killed in Jordan were later identified as 19-year-old Private Isabella Gonzales and 25-year-old Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan. US officials also said a third service member initially reported missing remains under investigation after unidentified human remains were recovered near the attack site.
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Iran, however, signalled it was not backing down.
Tehran said it carried out what it described as a “surprise attack” against US positions in Syria while also targeting American aircraft operating from Jordan’s Aqaba airport. Kuwait’s military separately announced that it intercepted Iranian drones entering its airspace.
Iranian media reported that several cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini, were struck during the latest American offensive.
The conflict also spread to maritime operations in the Gulf.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz exploded after using what it described as an unsafe southern route. The group warned that the strategic waterway would remain unsafe for oil and gas shipments as long as US military strikes continued.
Centcom disputed Iran’s account of the tanker incidents.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes, carrying a significant share of global crude oil exports. Continued fighting in and around the waterway has raised fresh concerns about global energy supplies and oil prices.
Despite the military escalation, the United States insists diplomacy remains an option.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remains open to negotiations but argued that Iran should not be allowed to use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage over the international community.
His comments come after a temporary agreement reached in mid-June to reduce hostilities effectively collapsed. Trump formally declared that deal “over” earlier this month, and efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire have since stalled as both countries continue exchanging military strikes.
With attacks expanding across multiple countries and key maritime routes increasingly under threat, fears are growing that the confrontation could evolve into a much broader regional conflict.
