U.S. President Donald Trump said recent American strikes on Iran dealt a significant blow to Tehran and were carried out in honor of three U.S. service members killed in recent attacks in the Middle East.
Speaking about the ongoing military campaign, Trump said the strikes hit Iran “very hard” and were intended to honor two American soldiers killed in Jordan and another who died in Iraq.
In the early hours of Monday local time, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had launched a new wave of overnight strikes, marking the ninth consecutive night of military operations. Explosions were reported across several parts of Iran.
According to U.S. officials, the strikes targeted military sites and communication networks in an effort to further degrade Tehran’s ability to conduct attacks against commercial and military vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said it responded with what it described as a “surprise attack” in Syria and claimed to have targeted U.S. aircraft at Aqaba Airport in Jordan.
Elsewhere in the region, Kuwait’s armed forces reported intercepting Iranian drones. Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency said multiple locations were struck during the U.S. operation, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.
Iranian state media also reported that two oil tankers exploded while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the vessels were navigating what it described as an “unsafe and dangerous southern route” through the strategic waterway before the explosions forced them to stop.
The latest exchange marks a further escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran, raising concerns over regional security and the safety of one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes.
