US Hammers Iran in Ninth Night of Strikes After Jordan Attack Kills Two Soldiers

The US conducted a ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets following Iran strikes that killed two US service members in Jordan and amid Iranian strikes on Gulf states including Bahrain and Kuwait.

US Service Members Killed in Iranian Attack

The US Army identified 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, as the two soldiers killed in an Iranian attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. [1] A third US service member's remains are being identified and another was killed in a controlled detonation in northern Iraq. [1] The deaths bring the total US service members killed since the war began to 17, with more than 420 wounded. [1] The soldiers were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. [1] Feehan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. [1] Gonzales was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, in Ansbach, Germany. [1] Feehan will receive the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and be posthumously promoted to captain. [1] "U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command mourns the loss of 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan, whose service and sacrifice will never be forgotten," Lt. Gen. John L. Rafferty said in a statement. [1]

Trump Authorizes Continued Strikes on Iran

President Trump vowed continued pressure on Iran, stating every American soldier killed by Iran will be paid for many times over, and authorized nine days of strikes on Iranian coastal military sites and IRGC forces after a ceasefire collapsed. [1] "Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. [1] "This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military." [1] "We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did that in honor of the probably three – it's probably three as opposed to two great patriots," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night. [1] "Godspeed, heroes," War Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X. [1] U.S. Central Command confirmed a ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets. [1]

Bahrain reports Iranian targeting of its air navigation systems amid regional strikes. — Source: thenewarab

Iranian Attacks on Gulf States

Iran targeted air navigation systems in Bahrain with drones and launched missile and drone attacks on Kuwait, with the IRGC claiming destruction of US facilities at two air bases and a port in Bahrain plus Marine Special Forces sheds in Kuwait. [2] [5] "As a result of a hostile Iranian act of aggression against the Kingdom of Bahrain, civil air navigation systems... were targeted by hostile drones," Bahrain's aviation authority said. [2] "However, air navigation operations remained unaffected," it added. [2] Iran's Revolutionary Guards later said they targeted American assets at two air bases in Bahrain and the main port in the island kingdom. [2] In a statement carried by the IRNA news agency, the IRGC said it targeted US "drone maintenance and repair sheds" at Al-Sakhir Airport in Bahrain, claiming the strike resulted in their "destruction". [5] It also claimed to have attacked US Navy Task Force 59 vessel preparation sheds at Salman Port in Bahrain, causing "destruction and heavy damage". [5] In Kuwait, the IRGC said it set fire to and "completely destroyed" Marine Special Forces sheds at Camp Arifjan. [5] Kuwait's military said on Monday it was responding to renewed missile and drone salvos. [2] [5] "Kuwaiti air defences are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks," the Gulf state's army said in a statement blaming Iran. [2] [5]

Impact of US Strikes on Southern Iran

US strikes have hit ports, energy facilities and transport infrastructure in southern Iran, deepening economic hardship, causing power cuts, water shortages and fear among residents who direct anger at the US rather than their government. [4] Southern Iran, which borders the Strait of Hormuz, has been a major target of US attacks on ports, energy facilities and transport infrastructure. [4] “Trump has ruined our lives,” said Amin, who runs a small boarding house for tourists in the south, blaming the US strikes for worsening economic hardship. [4] “The US attacks have deepened our problems. No electricity for hours means no water for hours in this heat,” said Hadi, a grocery shop owner in Khuzestan province. [4] “I love Iran. This war should stop. Enough is enough,” he added. [4] Power cuts have become especially punishing in provinces where summer temperatures regularly climb above 40 degrees Celsius, leaving families without air conditioning and disrupting water supplies that depend on electric pumps. [4] In Bushehr, home to Iran’s one working nuclear power plant, high school student Samad said he could not focus on his exams because of the nightly attacks. [4] None of those Reuters spoke to said the conflict had generated support for renewed anti-government protests. [4]

US troops injured in Iranian strikes on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. — Source: gdelt

Context of Escalating Conflict

The US and Iran have intensified attacks since an interim ceasefire deal signed a month ago fell apart last week, leading to the return to all-out war. [1] Trump has authorized nine consecutive days of pounding strikes on Iran's coastal military sites and Islamic Revolution Guard Corps forces defying the terms of the now-defunct memorandum of understanding (MOU), designed to bring a ceasefire and open up the Strait of Hormuz to freedom of navigation. [1] A shaky US-Iran ceasefire has all but collapsed as Iran began attacking vessels using an Omani route in the Strait of Hormuz. [2] In response, the US has attacked Iran, which has responded with strikes on the Gulf and other Arab countries. [2] The first victims of restarted hostilities were identified as Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, according to a Monday release. [1]

Prior Unreported Injuries to US Troops

Dozens of US troops were injured in Iranian strikes before the deadly Jordan attack. [3] The Pentagon stayed silent on those earlier injuries. [3] US Central Command has said it will continue working to dismantle ISIS networks and prevent the terror group's resurgence. [1] Both Kuwait and Bahrain, which host US military installations, have borne the brunt of attacks by Iran on its Gulf neighbours since hostilities resumed this month. [2] Bahrain has accused Iran of targeting civilians, while Kuwait has reported Iranian attacks on water and electricity plants as well as oil facilities. [2]

What to watch next: U.S. Central Command confirmed it will continue working to dismantle ISIS networks and prevent the terror group's resurgence while the IRGC asserted that even if the war were to last several years, Iran would have enough weapons until the last day.