The United States initiated fresh strikes against Iran on Saturday, following an attack in Jordan the previous day that resulted in the deaths of two American service members due to Iranian missile and drone attacks. Four US service members also required hospitalization after the attack. One service member was missing after the attack, and "unidentified remains" were found Sunday and were being examined.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on social media that these strikes were intended to "swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night." The military stated that the strikes specifically targeted "Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites." These actions are also designed to reduce Iran's capability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic Qeshm Island inside the Strait of Hormuz suffered damage, with a desalination plant on the island being affected, cutting off water supplies to about 10,000 people. Despite the escalating tensions, Energy Secretary Chris Wright attempted to alleviate concerns about the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a spike in energy prices. He noted that the seven-day trailing average for oil flow through the waterway is just under seven million barrels a day, with an additional seven million barrels a day flowing through bypass pipelines.
Energy Secretary Wright disputed recent data from research firm Kpler, which reported a decrease in strait crossings to eight vessels on Thursday, stating that "almost all the public data I’ve seen is incorrect." However, US gas prices are already on the rise, with the national average per gallon surpassing $3.99 on Sunday, up from over $3.87 a week prior. A service member also died on Saturday during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone.
