The US has carried out strikes against Iran for the tenth night running
For the tenth consecutive day, the US military has continued to carry out air strikes on targets within Iran. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on this new wave of attacks.
The command stated that the operation is being carried out on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, and its aim is to further weaken Iran’s military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM later announced the completion of the latest wave of strikes and clarified that the targets included Iranian military command posts, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems.
In response to previous US attacks, Iran launched further strikes in the Persian Gulf region on 20 July. Kuwait and Jordan reported new attacks involving missiles and drones.
On 18 July, Tehran declared null and void the framework ceasefire agreed with Washington in June, which was intended to secure a final peace agreement within 60 days.
A few hours before the new strikes, US President Donald Trump stated that Iran would ‘pay dearly’ for the possible deaths of American servicemen.
“Every time Iran kills an American soldier, it will pay dearly for it!” Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social, noting that the relevant order had been conveyed to Defence Secretary Pete Hagseth.
The day before, whilst returning to Washington after the World Cup final, Trump described the new strikes as a response to the deaths of American service personnel.
“Last night we dealt them another very serious blow. We did this in honour of the fallen soldiers,” said the US President.
According to CENTCOM, three US service personnel have been confirmed killed since the start of the latest escalation in the Middle East. The total number of US military fatalities since the start of the war with Iran in late February has risen to 17.
Amid the escalation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it had detained two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz area, which were allegedly attempting to pass “illegally” via the southern route. According to the state news agency Tasnim, the vessels “exploded”.
Meanwhile, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues to decline. According to the London Stock Exchange, four vessels passed through the strait on 19 July, compared with eight on 18 July.
