US forces launched a fresh round of airstrikes against Iran on Saturday on the orders of President Donald Trump, with the US Central Command (CENTCOM) saying the operation aims to further weaken Tehran's military capabilities and punish the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) following an attack that killed two American service members in Jordan.
"Today at 6 p.m. ET, US forces began launching new airstrikes against Iran at the Commander in Chief's direction," CENTCOM said in a post on X.
According to the command, the strikes are designed to "further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night."
The latest offensive comes hours after CENTCOM confirmed that two US service members were killed and another remains missing following an Iranian strike on a military base in Jordan on Friday. The deaths bring the total number of US military personnel killed since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28 to 16.
Meanwhile, Iran claimed that at least 50 people have been killed and 500 injured in US strikes since the latest escalation in the Gulf began.
Tehran's Health Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpur said 12 civilians were killed in the last 24 hours. He added that 460 injured people have been discharged from hospitals, while 37 remain under treatment.
According to Iran's state media, three people were killed and eight others injured in the latest US strikes.
The renewed attacks mark another escalation in the conflict, which has expanded beyond Iran and Israel to involve US military assets and Gulf nations. The US has also stepped up naval operations around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest oil shipping routes, saying the campaign is aimed at protecting commercial shipping and enforcing a naval blockade against Iranian ports.
Earlier, US forces concluded the seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iran on July 17. CENTCOM said those operations targeted surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage facilities and maritime capabilities using fighter aircraft, drones, warships and other military assets.
"More than 50,000 American service members are operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal and ready," the command said, adding that it will continue holding Iran accountable under the Commander in Chief's direction.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday criticised the United States, calling the US President's signature "worthless" and accusing Washington of repeatedly violating commitments made under previous agreements between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the IRGC claimed responsibility for targeting the US naval fuel support pier at Al Ahmadi Port in Kuwait and the US combat aircraft site at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.
Regional tensions continued to rise as Jordan's air defence systems intercepted Iranian missiles, Bahrain said it thwarted several Iranian aerial attacks, and Kuwait reported that an Iranian strike triggered a fire at a power and water desalination plant.
The IRGC also warned that countries hosting US military forces should expect "corresponding responses" if their territories are used to launch attacks against Iran.
The United States has carried out repeated strikes on military sites and infrastructure across Iran's southern provinces over the past week, saying the operations are intended to reduce Tehran's ability to threaten international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor.
