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US forces on Saturday (local time) launched "new airstrikes" against Iran, targeting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a move aimed at reducing Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and retaliating for attacks that killed two American service members following strikes by the Islamic Republic in Jordan.
In a post on X, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump and were intended to "swiftly punish" IRGC forces responsible for the attacks on American personnel. "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. The announcement comes after CENTCOM confirmed that two US service members were killed and another remained missing in Jordan during operations to defend against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. According to CENTCOM, the service members were killed on July 17 while performing their duties during the coordinated defence against the Iranian strikes. "On July 17, two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan while performing their duties, during the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces' defense against attacks launched by Iran using ballistic missiles and drones. In addition, one service member remains among the missing," the statement said. CENTCOM further said that four US service members who sustained injuries during the attacks were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan. All four have since been discharged, while other personnel who received treatment for minor injuries have returned to duty. On Friday, the Iranian Army said it had targeted fuel storage facilities at Jordan's Al-Azraq Air Base as part of the 14th phase of Operation Lightning, launching drone strikes against multiple US military installations in Jordan and Kuwait. According to the statement by the Iranian Army's Public Relations, the country's armed forces also targeted an ammunition depot at Al-Udairi Camp, headquarters buildings and ammunition depots at Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, as well as several communication bridges. Iran's strikes come as a retaliatory attack after US forces launched another round of military strikes against Iran, marking the seventh consecutive night of operations. (ANI)
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