Trump Says US Strikes on Iran Honour Fallen American Troops as Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump has defended the latest wave of US military strikes on Iran, saying the attacks were carried out “in honour” of American service members killed in recent days, as fighting between Washington and Tehran continues to intensify across the Middle East.

Speaking after the latest operations, Trump said US forces had hit Iranian targets “very hard,” describing the strikes as a response to the deaths of three American soldiers—two killed in Jordan and one in Iraq.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces launched another round of precision strikes in the early hours of Monday local time, marking the ninth consecutive night of military operations against Iranian-linked targets. Explosions were reported in several parts of Iran as the campaign continued.

The US military said the strikes targeted military infrastructure and communications networks used to coordinate attacks on vessels operating in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Washington said the objective was to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten international shipping and regional security.

Iran, however, claimed it had retaliated with what it described as a “surprise attack” on US-linked positions in Syria and also targeted American aircraft at Jordan’s Aqaba airport. Tehran has vowed further retaliation if US operations continue.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that multiple cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini, were struck during the overnight attacks.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported explosions involving two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the vessels had travelled through what it called an “unsafe and hazardous southern route” before exploding and coming to a halt. CENTCOM has disputed that account.

The IRGC warned that the Strait of Hormuz would remain unsafe for oil and gas shipments for as long as US military operations continue, threatening what it called a “punitive operation” in response to further American strikes.

The conflict has also widened beyond Iran. Kuwait’s armed forces announced they had intercepted Iranian drones, highlighting growing concerns that the confrontation could spread across the Gulf region.

The latest escalation follows a deadly series of attacks on US personnel. Over the weekend, the Pentagon confirmed that an American service member was killed in northern Iraq after an Iranian attack. The announcement came just a day after another assault on a military base in Jordan left two US soldiers dead, while efforts continue to identify additional human remains recovered from the site.

Despite the continuing military exchanges, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remains open to diplomacy.

Rubio stressed that the United States continues to seek a diplomatic solution but argued that the international community must decide whether Iran should be allowed to control access to one of the world’s most vital maritime trade routes.

The renewed hostilities come after a temporary ceasefire reached in mid-June collapsed. Efforts to negotiate a lasting peace have stalled, particularly after President Trump declared the agreement “over” on July 8, paving the way for the latest military escalation.

As both sides exchange strikes and threats, fears continue to grow that the conflict could further disrupt global energy supplies and draw more countries into an increasingly volatile regional crisis.