On Saturday evening, July 19, 2026, the U.S. military launched airstrikes against Iran in retaliation for Tehran's missile and drone attacks on two military bases in Jordan the previous day. The attacks in Jordan resulted in the deaths of two U.S. service members, with one additional service member reported missing, according to the U.S. Central Command (Centcom).

The new wave of strikes began at 6 p.m. EDT and aimed to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to punish the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces responsible for the attacks on U.S. soldiers in Jordan.

Since the start of the conflict, the U.S. military death toll has risen to 16. Four service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals and have since been discharged, while others with minor injuries have returned to duty.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated, “Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.” The strikes marked the eighth consecutive day of kinetic action by U.S. forces in the Centcom theater against Iran. Recent U.S. attacks have targeted Iranian energy infrastructure, port facilities, bridges, and other strategic sites as part of efforts to pressure the Tehran regime.

In response, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on social media that the U.S. escalation would bring “even heavier costs and further humiliation” and that the nation of Iran and the Resistance Front have “unforgettable lessons in store for it.”

Sources