US launches new airstrikes to ‘swiftly punish’ Iran after American troops killed in Jordan | World

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’ IRGC forces 

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 to further degrade 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. 

“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 new strikes came after the US military announced its first troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war, following a drone and missile attack on a base in Jordan on Friday. The dead were not identified, and Central Command wouldn’t offer any further details on the deaths. Since the war began, 16 US service members have been killed and over 430 wounded.

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