U.S. Launches More Airstrikes Against Iran After Announcing Another Death Of Service Member
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States began a new round of airstrikes targeting Iran early Monday after announcing the death of another American soldier and Iran firing missiles at it. Jordan This risked the conflict spreading into neighboring Israel.
USA and Iran are approaching all-out war step by step, as last month interim agreement Ship traffic aimed at ending the conflict permanently collapsed. Strait of Hormuz has largely stopped. Benchmark Brent crude rose above $90 a barrel on Monday, further exacerbating the global energy crisis sparked by the conflict, as both sides target civilian infrastructure that millions of people rely on.
The US military said the soldier was killed during a “controlled detonation” of an Iranian drone shot down in Iraq on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said, “We hit them hard again tonight.” “And we did this” in honor of the soldiers who were killed.
US launches ninth night of Iran attacks
Earlier, the military said the attacks targeted Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for soldiers killed in Jordan on Friday. One soldier was missing following that attack, and the army’s new statement said Sunday that “unidentified remains” had been found and were being examined. 17 US soldiers have been killed since the war began.
The renewed exchange of fire, now in its second week, has seen the US target bridges and electrical facilities in Iran.
The U.S. military’s Central Command announced a new round of attacks early Monday, entering its ninth consecutive night.
“The attacks will continue to weaken Iran’s military capabilities, which are used to attack commercial ships and civilian sailors passing through the Strait of Hormuz,” Central Command said in a statement.
The British military said a ship caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz near the Oman coastline early on Monday when the attacks began. It was unclear what triggered the fire in Oman, a route the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iranian control. The guard later claimed that he was targeting tankers in the strait.
Tehran retaliated by striking US-allied countries in the Middle East.
Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait have reactivated their air defenses against drones and missiles from Iran. Earlier Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain issued a warning saying “Iran may attempt to target unspecified locations in the center of the capital, Manama,” without elaborating.
Israel warned that missiles launched into neighboring Jordan could cause fire to spread into Israeli territory for the first time in weeks.
Iran announced that its nuclear facility under construction was hit
Footage released by the US military on Sunday shows attacks carried out by warplanes and sea-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles. It turned out that one of the targets was in a valley in a mountainous region. The Guard often has missile bases and other military equipment located in mountain ranges.
According to state television, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran reported that the US attacks targeted the construction site of a nuclear power plant planned to be built in the southwest.
Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC of the Darkhovin nuclear power plant site showed that as of July 9 the land had been cleared but little construction was taking place. Iran had not previously announced that this was targeted.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said the facility contained no nuclear material “in the very early stages of construction” during a recent visit by the UN monitor.
Jordan and almost all Gulf Arab states were targeted
The Jordanian military said several Iranian missiles were shot down. The country hosts major US bases and relies on US air defense systems. According to the Jordanian military, the missiles did not cause casualties or damage.
State television reported that Jordan later summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires to protest.
The Israeli military has warned Israelis to expect the first air raid sirens within weeks, saying it could be flooded with Iranian missiles fired at the port city of Aqaba just across the border.
The Israeli city of Eilat, neighboring Aqaba, quoted security officials as saying two interceptors were launched from the outskirts of the city to prevent debris from falling.
During the recent conflicts, Iran focused its attacks on US-allied Arab countries rather than Israel. started the war Israeli Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said, “We are ready to restart the war immediately.”
said one of the Kuwaiti power and water desalination plants It was attacked for the second time in two days and a fire broke out. The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said the power grid remains stable. in Kuwait, approximately 90% of drinking water It comes from the desalination process.
Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, secretary-general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, accused Iran of committing war crimes for attacks on infrastructure and civilian facilities.
international humanitarian law It often protects civilian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants from attack, but such areas may lose protection when used for military purposes. In such cases, attacks must be proportionate and harm to civilians must be minimized.
Strait of Hormuz remains key to conflict
Trump has threatened to target Iran’s power plants and bridges to force Tehran to loosen its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil supplies passed before the war. The latest attacks show that the US military is implementing this plan.
Last week, the United States reimposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports to stop crude oil shipments. The military said on Saturday that six ships had since been diverted and disabled one.
The midpoint of the agreement, which set out to end the war permanently and negotiate other issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, passed within 60 days.
At least 50 people were killed and 517 injured in the latest US strikes, Iranian officials said on Sunday. Iran did not provide general information about its financial losses.
Away from the region, the war’s effects on fuel and other goods prices affected some regions. the world’s most vulnerable regions difficult.
Metz reported from Ramallah and the West Bank, Finley from Washington. Associated Press writer Toqa Ezzidin in Cairo contributed.
