The U.S. military conducted new airstrikes against Iran on Sunday, targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard, in retaliation for a drone and missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan on Friday. This attack resulted in the deaths of two American service members, with one still missing and four requiring hospitalization. These retaliatory strikes were designed to degrade Iran's capacity to restrict the flow of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that previously handled approximately 20% of global oil supplies. Iran had reportedly closed the strait to shipping traffic following U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the strikes also aimed to weaken Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping, as the U.S. continues to pressure Tehran regarding its control of this vital trade route. The retaliatory airstrikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, began at 6 p.m. ET Saturday and concluded at 11:30 p.m. ET Saturday. The troops killed on Friday represent the first U.S. fatalities from direct Iranian fire since the initial stages of the war. Four service members were evacuated to hospitals in Jordan but have since been discharged, while others with minor injuries have returned to duty.
These strikes mark the eighth consecutive night of U.S. forces launching munitions against Iran, specifically targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps units. The targets included Iranian military surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime assets, and missile and drone storage sites. This escalation follows an intensifying conflict between the U.S. and Iran, marked by daily exchanges of strikes since the collapse of an interim ceasefire. Iran has launched ballistic missiles and drones at U.S. military positions and allies in the region, including Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, while U.S. forces have conducted repeated strikes on Iranian military targets.
Jordan's forces intercepted Iranian missiles and drones on Saturday, which Tehran claimed were aimed at a U.S. military base in the country. Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency, cited by NBC News, also claimed that at least two U.S. fighter jets were destroyed in the attack, though NBC News has not independently verified this claim. The identities of the two service members killed are being withheld for 24 hours to allow for family notification.
