The United States launched its tenth consecutive night of strikes against Iran on Monday, as President Donald Trump vowed that Tehran would pay “many times over” for the killing of three American soldiers. The latest attacks targeted Iranian military command centres, air defence systems and coastal surveillance sites, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM), which said the operation was designed to “further degrade” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The deaths of the three service personnel – two killed in Jordan on Friday while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks, and a third who died in Iraq during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone – brought the total number of US troops killed since the start of the war to 17. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” He added that the directive had been passed to defence secretary Pete Hegseth and top US general Dan Caine. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump will attend Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Tuesday evening for the return of the fallen soldiers.
“US launches tenth consecutive night of strikes on Iran as Trump vows retaliation for deaths of three soldiers.”
Iran has described the situation as a “full-scale war”. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was fighting the US, while his government continued to exchange diplomatic messages through intermediaries, despite the collapse of a ceasefire. Tehran has continued to target shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where two oil tankers exploded as they tried to cross, according to Iranian state media. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar and Konarak, had been hit in the previous night’s strikes.
The escalation has sent oil prices soaring. Brent crude for September delivery rose 2.72% to $90.50 a barrel in early Asian trade on Monday, briefly crossing $91 – its highest since June. The disruption to maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy artery, has renewed concerns about the impact on world economies, including the UK. Newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham discussed the situation with Trump in a phone call soon after arriving in Downing Street.
Elsewhere in the region, Iran’s allies have stepped up their own attacks. Yemen’s Houthi militia announced a maritime blockade on US ally Saudi Arabia at the southern end of the Red Sea. Jordan’s military said it had shot down three Iranian missiles late on Monday, while Kuwait’s armed forces reported intercepting Iranian drones. Bahrain said drones launched by Iran had targeted its air navigation systems, though traffic remained unaffected.
In a post on X, the US defence department displayed a drawing of a revolutionary-era soldier carrying a musket, with the message: “We untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralise, hunt and kill the enemies of our country. No mercy.” But Secretary of State Marco Rubio also indicated a possible diplomatic off-ramp, saying the US was “open to a diplomatic solution”. He added: “The world has to decide whether or not it’s going to allow an international waterway to be under the control of Iran.”
Trump himself has issued an ultimatum, warning that more US strikes would cripple Iran, targeting bridges and power plants unless the country backs down. “I don’t like giving deadlines, but they pretty much know, they know the story… they better behave,” he said. “You’d better make a deal, or you’re not going to have anything left.”
