Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned that “not a single drop of oil and gas” would pass through the Strait of Hormuz if what it called US “aggression” continued.
The warning came after the Iranian military said it disabled two oil tankers trying to cross the strategic waterway without its permission, though the claim could not be independently verified.
The US military said it had completed the ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, targeting military command centres, missile and drone launch sites, coastal surveillance systems, and maritime capabilities to “further diminish Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.
The latest strikes came a day after a US soldier was killed in what was described as the controlled detonation of unexploded Iranian ordnance in northern Iraq.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, and Kuwait said its air defences responded to hostile drones as Iran retaliated against America's Gulf allies in the wake of the latest strikes.
Oil prices climbed above $90 a barrel amid fears of further disruption to shipping through the vital waterway.
Key Points
- US service member killed during controlled explosion in Iraq
- IRGC says two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz disabled
- Trump claims Iran strikes in honor of slain US service members
- Two US-backed ships involved in 'accident' while traversing Strait of Hormuz, Iran claims
- Gulf states continue to come under Iranian attack
- Kuwait says Iran have hit power generation and water desalination facility
- Trump urges Republicans to 'add Iran' to Russian sanctions bill
IRGC says two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz disabled
05:50 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said two oil tankers were disabled after attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via a route that Tehran had warned ships against using, claiming “both vessels exploded and were forced to cease movement”.
The Guards did not identify the vessels, provide casualty details or explicitly claim responsibility.
Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a vessel was on fire off the coast of Oman, though the cause of the incident remains unknown.
Iran vows not ‘a single drop’ of oil or gas will transit Strait of Hormuz as US continues strikes
05:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned that “this passage will not be safe for the transit of petrochemical products, nor even a single drop of oil and gas” if what it called US “aggression” continues, after claiming it had targeted US aircraft in Jordan and that two oil tankers had exploded in the Strait of Hormuz, though those claims could not be independently verified.
The warning came as the US military said it had completed its ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, targeting military command centres, missile and drone launch sites, coastal surveillance systems and maritime capabilities to “further diminish Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz”, adding that “the US military is holding Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief’s direction”.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens sounded again in Bahrain, Kuwait said its air defences responded to hostile Iranian drones, and oil prices climbed above $90 a barrel amid fears of further disruption to shipping through the vital waterway.
Security concerns across the Gulf intensify
05:10 , Maroosha Muzaffar
A vessel caught fire off the coast of Oman, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations, though the cause and identity of the ship remain unknown.
In Bahrain, warning sirens sounded after the US embassy warned that Iran could target locations in central Manama, although no attack was confirmed.
Jordan said several missiles were launched, with most intercepted, while Iran claimed it struck US-linked military facilities in Kuwait.
Kuwaiti authorities, however, denied those claims and said the attacks instead hit civilian infrastructure, including a water desalination plant, prompting regional condemnation and renewed fears over the vulnerability of critical water and energy infrastructure across the Gulf.
Trump says US hit Iran ‘very hard’ in honour of killed troops
04:50 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Rubio urges other global powers to play a bigger role in protecting shipping through Strait of Hormuz
04:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has urged other countries to play a bigger role in protecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran is using the strategic waterway as leverage in the ongoing regional conflict.
Speaking to reporters before departing for the Philippines, Rubio said the United States would continue working to keep maritime routes secure.
However, he said other nations should also help by providing equipment or financial support instead of leaving the responsibility largely to Washington.
State department issues new travel warning for Americans as Iran war escalates
04:08 , Holly Bancroft
The US Department of State issued a worldwide advisory on July 18, 2026, urging Americans to exercise increased caution worldwide due to heightened tensions in the Middle East and the potential for unforeseen escalation.
“Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” the advisory states. “We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking developments. The Department of State advises Americans worldwide, and especially in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution.”
The state department said US diplomatic facilities, both within and outside the Middle East, have been targeted, and groups supportive of Iran may target other US interests or locations associated with the United States and Americans globally.
State department issues new travel warning for Americans as Iran war escalates
UK defence secretary pays tribute to US service personnel killed in Jordan
03:11 , Holly Bancroft
UK defence secretary Dan Jarvis has commented on the deaths of two US service personnel killed in action in Jordan, saying: “My thoughts are with the families and friends of the US service personnel killed and injured in Jordan.”
Four service members were evacuated to Jordanian hospitals for treatment and one service member is missing.
My thoughts are with the families and friends of the US service personnel killed and injured in Jordan.
— Dan Jarvis MP (@DanJarvisMBE) July 19, 2026
Our UK forces are working to help protect partners in the region – their safety remains my highest priority. https://t.co/hlEshzMePG
US 'planning for a wider war' but lacks munitions: report
02:41 , Josh Marcus
Sunday’s round of US strikes on Iran likely won’t be the last, amid renewed hostilities and a string of American military deaths.
“The US is planning for a wider war,” an unnamed US official familiar with the Trump administration’s strategy told The Washington Post.
The official added that these plans come despite dwindling stores of air defense and long-range munitions, as well as degraded capacities to surge troops and aircraft.
“We do not have enough to safely sustain operations, and I don’t think the White House is aware of that,” the official said.
Trump defends delays in ending Iran conflict: 'This is a far bigger job'
02:08 , Josh Marcus
President Donald Trump on Sunday fired back at a journalist who asked about his prior claim the Iran conflict would be finished in a matter of weeks.
“This is a far bigger job that we’re doing,” the Republican said from the tarmac as he returned from the World Cup final.
“It’s really not the same thing,” he added of the evolving mission in the Iran conflict, which began in February. “What we’re doing now is we’re ending any chance where they could have a nuclear missile.”
The US previously claimed its June 2025 strikes on Iran “obliterated” the country’s nuclear program.
On Sunday, the president painted a modestly different picture of Tehran’s military capacities.
“They’ve lost everything, almost, military,” he said. “They’ve got very little left. They’ve got some missiles. They’ve got some drones. They’ve got some manufacturing ability, not much. But we control the Strait. They don’t control anything.”
UAE strongly condemns the renewed Iran attacks
02:07 , Holly Bancroft
The United Arab Emirates issued a further statement on Sunday condemning the escalating strikes by Iran on Gulf states and Jordan.
In a post on X, the ministry of foreign affairs said that the “hostile attacks” on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan “constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly nations and a threat to their security and stability”.
الإمارات تُدين بشدة تجدد الهجمات الإيرانية العدوانية على البحرين والكويت والأردن
— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) July 19, 2026
UAE Strongly Condemns Renewed Iranian Hostile Attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan pic.twitter.com/HDBOKkkIPk
Trump claims Iran strikes in honor of slain US service members
01:50 , Josh Marcus
President Donald Trump provided a brief update on Sunday about the latest round of strikes against Iran as he headed back to the White House after attending the World Cup final.
“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 said from the tarmac.
U.S. Central Command has announced three service member deaths in recent days, including two military members dead after an Iranian attack on Friday in Jordan and a third fatality in Iraq as personnel sought to disable unexploded Iranian ordnance.
A fourth service member is missing as a result of the attack in Jordan.
“We feel very badly, but you know those great people, great patriots, were out there fighting [so] that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said of the deaths.
The resulting retaliatory strikes have left Iran “very, very badly damaged,” Trump added, though he often insists Iran has been all but decimated.
Explosions heard in five Iranian cities as US signals latest barrage: reports
01:10 , Josh Marcus
Explosions were heard across at least five Iranian cities today, according to the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim, as the US announced another night of attacks.
Witnesses and local reporters told Tasnim of explosions in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.
US Central Command said earlier Sunday that renewed strikes began around 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Rubio meets Lebanon's president to discuss Israel-Lebanon deal
01:02 , Holly Bancroft
Marco Rubio met with Lebanese president Aoun on Sunday to discuss the implementation of a US-brokered framework between Israel and Lebanon.
"The Secretary commended the courage of the Government of Lebanon, under President Aoun’s leadership, for their determined effort to reclaim Lebanon’s sovereignty, disarm (Hezbollah) and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, and move towards peace," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
US announces ninth consecutive round of daily strikes on Iran
Monday 20 July 2026 00:29 , Josh Marcus
American forces began striking targets in Iran on Sunday evening, the U.S. military announced, marking the ninth consecutive night of attacks.
“CENTCOM began conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran at 7 p.m. ET today for the ninth consecutive night,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement on X. “The strikes will continue degrading Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”
Marco Rubio meets with Lebanese president in Washington
Sunday 19 July 2026 23:59 , Holly Bancroft
US secretary of state Marco Rubio met with Lebanese president Joseph Aoun in Washington, a state department official told AFP news agency.
President Aoun will reportedly meet Donald Trump on Tuesday and present him with a plan on how to disarm Hezbollah and secure Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
In a post on X, Lebanon’s presidency said on Sunday: “President Joseph Aoun arrived at the building of the US department of state for a meeting with secretary of state Marco Rubio, thereby concluding his official engagements in Washington.”
In depth: Nigerian children pay the price for the Iran war as malnutrition and poverty surge
Sunday 19 July 2026 23:32 , Holly Bancroft
Maryam Aminu was hardly surprised when the last of her six children was diagnosed with malnutrition in April for a second time. She was barely feeding the 18-month-old regularly, let alone with nutritious foods, writes Ope Adetayo.
Although the family in northwest Nigeria has struggled with economic hardship, their situation deteriorated after February, when her husband, Shehu Aminu, lost his job as a taxi driver due to a spike in the retail price of petrol caused by the war in Iran.
“When she was diagnosed the second time, even though I suspected it, I was sad and angry because I knew why,” Aminu said in the living area of their unvarnished two-bedroom house in the quiet town of Kware, Sokoto, as ash from the coal stove billowed into the room. “Times are tough, and the food is not consistent.”
Children relapsing into malnutrition has become an increasingly common occurrence in the state and across northern Nigeria, according to local health and aid workers, who cite knock-on effects from the Iran war.
Northern Nigeria, one of the world’s poorest regions, is already under pressure from an insurgency crisis. Now, the conflict in the Middle East has worsened food security for millions of people living in poverty, especially children.
Read the full story here:
Nigerian children pay the price for the Iran war as malnutrition and poverty surge
Recap: Pete Hegseth pays tribute to two US troops killed in Iran attack
Sunday 19 July 2026 22:56 , Holly Bancroft
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has paid tribute to two US service members who were killed in the war with Iran on Friday while a third is missing in action.
The US military said on Saturday that two troops were killed and one was missing in Jordan following an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan, bringing the total US service member deaths to 16 since the conflict began.
Read more here:
Pete Hegseth pays tribute to two US troops killed in Iran attack
In full: US service member killed in Iraq during ‘controlled detonation’ of Iranian drone
Sunday 19 July 2026 22:06 , Holly Bancroft
At least one American service member was killed after the controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone, according to U.S. Central Command, writes Alex Woodward.
A second service member was wounded during Saturday’s operation, military officials announced Sunday.
The U.S. military also recovered unidentified remains after a search for a missing service member in the wake of an earlier attack that killed two other service members on Friday.
Sunday’s announcement brings the U.S. death toll from the months-long war in Iran to at least 16 service members. More than 400 troops have been wounded throughout the campaign.
A tenuous ceasefire has effectively collapsed, risking an all-out assault and a revival of the months-long war. American forces continued eight consecutive nights of strikes on Saturday as Iran ramps up missile and drone attacks on US allies and assets in the Persian Gulf.
US service member killed in Iraq during ‘controlled detonation’ of Iranian drone
Watch: US launches retaliatory strikes on Iran
Sunday 19 July 2026 21:09 , Holly Bancroft
Breaking: US service member killed during controlled explosion in Iraq
Sunday 19 July 2026 20:39 , Holly Bancroft
A US service member has been killed in action following a controlled explosion in northern Iraq, US Central Command (CentCom) has said.
The news follows the deaths of two US service members and one missing in Jordan on Friday. In a statement, CentCom said that the US service personnel was killed on Saturday during the detonation of unexploded ordinance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone.
CENTCOM Update on Recently Fallen U.S. Service Members
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 19, 2026
TAMPA, Fla. — Yesterday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the passing of two U.S. service members and the missing status of one in Jordan following an Iranian attack on July 17. After a thorough search, U.S.…
US strikes Iran's Revolutionary Guard over attack that killed troops in Jordan
Sunday 19 July 2026 20:11 , Holly Bancroft
The US military launched airstrikes on Sunday targeting Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard to retaliate for the killing of American troops in Jordan, further widening the crossfire between the nations as they fight over Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes, now part of a weeklong campaign that has seen Iran strike US-allied countries across the Middle East, comes as an interim deal seeking to find an end to the Iran war has collapsed.
The US has targeted bridges, electrical facilities and other targets in Iran, and Tehran has retaliated by hitting power and desalination plants in Kuwait, threatening daily life in that small, oil-rich desert nation. Iran also has stepped up its threats to further expand the strikes, drawing a warning overnight from the United Arab Emirates, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
US strikes Iran's Revolutionary Guard over attack that killed troops in Jordan
Jordan summons Iran's charge d'affaires over 'blatant' attacks
Sunday 19 July 2026 19:39 , Holly Bancroft
Jordan has summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Amman over what it called "unjustified and blatant Iranian attacks" and "provocative and inflammatory statements targeting the Kingdom's territory," Jordan's ministry of foreign affairs has said.
Over the last week, Jordan has repeatedly said that it has intercepted Iranian missiles flying over its territory, including three that it shot down on Sunday, according to the country's military.
Kuwait says Iran have hit power generation and water desalination facility
Sunday 19 July 2026 19:11 , Holly Bancroft
The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry have condemned what it described as an Iranian attack on a power generation and water desalination facility, calling it a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure.
The repeated targeting of civilian facilities amounted to a dangerous escalation and violated international law, the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 2817, the ministry said in a statement.
It said Iran bore full legal and moral responsibility for the attack and its consequences.
Iraqi PM will visit Tehran this week
Sunday 19 July 2026 18:57 , Holly Bancroft
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will visit Tehran within the coming week, the Iraqi state news agency have reported, adding that during the visit the prime minister will sign memoranda of understanding in Tehran in areas of cooperation.
Trump golfs and attends World Cup final as war continues against Iran
Sunday 19 July 2026 18:14 , Holly Bancroft
Donald Trump called the killing of two U.S. service members by Iran a “very sad thing” on Saturday but the president’s focus remained out of Washington this weekend as his war with Iran once again spiralled into open conflict, writes John Bowden in Washington DC.
The president spent the day golfing Saturday at his Bedminster, N.J., resort even as news broke that two U.S. service members were killed by an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan, with a third declared missing in action.
Trump’s only statement on the incident came in the form of a brief phone call with a NewsNation reporter. Calling their deaths “a very sad thing,” the president went on to dismiss any semblance of concern over Iran’s declaration that the ceasefire deal was broken.
“I couldn’t care less,” he told NewsNation.
Trump golfs and attends World Cup final as war in Iran resumes: ‘A very sad thing’
Gulf states continue to come under Iranian attack
Sunday 19 July 2026 17:14 , Holly Bancroft
In response to the latest American strikes, Iran carried out a drone attack that targeted US military assets and equipment at Kuwait's Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Iranian state TV reported early on Sunday.
Both bases have been targeted as part of Iran's attacks against US assets and allies in the Gulf since last week.
Kuwait's Electricity Ministry said a desalination plant had been attacked for the second day running, causing a fire. Kuwait's armed forces said earlier they had again intercepted Iranian missiles, after a sustained Iranian attack on Saturday.
Bahrain's air defences also intercepted an Iranian attack on Sunday, its state TV reported. Sirens sounded in Jordan, where the military said it had shot down three Iranian missiles.
Iranian reports said the US carried out an attack near Sirik in southern Iran, and near Shadegan, close to the border with Iraq. Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation condemned a US attack on the site of a nuclear power plant under construction in Darkhovin, Iran's Mehr news agency reported.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was investigating reports of an overnight attack, noting that the plant was in the very early stages of construction.
Recap: US carries out eighth night of attacks on Iran
Sunday 19 July 2026 16:03 , Holly Bancroft
The US said it had completed an eighth straight night of attacks against Iran after announcing that two US military personnel were killed in Jordan.
US allies in the region also reported more Iranian attacks on Sunday. America and Iran have intensified attacks as an interim ceasefire deal signed a month ago has unravelled and a struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz has deepened, raising the risk of a return to all-out hostilities.
Israeli officials said Israel was preparing to receive more US refuelling aircraft after the recent escalation, and ahead of a possible expansion of US military operations against Iran.
US Central Command said the latest airstrikes, beginning at 6 p.m. ET (2200 GMT) on Saturday, were 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."
Central Command later said it had completed its wave of attacks, hitting Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defence facilities.
IAEA investigates reports of attack on Iran's Darkhovin nuclear power plant site
Sunday 19 July 2026 15:00 , Bryony Gooch
The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Sunday that it was investigating reports of an overnight attack on the construction site of Iran's planned Darkhovin nuclear power plant.
The facility was in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when last inspected, the agency said.
In pictures: Shi'ite Muslim girls hold pictures of children who were killed in the Minab school attack
Sunday 19 July 2026 14:45 , Bryony Gooch
The Trump toll: Why plan to charge ships 20% fee in Strait of Hormuz will never work
Sunday 19 July 2026 14:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Donald Trump has announced a 20 per cent fee on cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would dramatically increase the cost of transporting oil through the vital waterway.
The US president vowed on Monday to charge the fee on all cargo shipped through the strait, a toll that would cover the cost of America's self-declared role as the “guardian of the Strait”.
It is an announcement that has already sparked fury from major shipping companies. Hapag-Lloyd, a German firm, said charging fees for passage through international waters “would be fundamentally wrong”.
You can read more about what analysts think of the “Trump toll” below:
Why a ‘Trump toll’ for ships in the Strait of Hormuz will never work
Jordan shot down three Iranian missiles, state news agency reports
Sunday 19 July 2026 14:15 , Bryony Gooch
Jordan's armed forces said they shot down three Iranian missiles targeting the kingdom, while a fourth fell in a remote area, the state news agency reported.
There were no casualties or material damage, the agency said, citing a military official.
In pictures: Iran suffers damage from US strikes as tensions ramp up
Sunday 19 July 2026 14:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
IDF says missiles launched from Iran toward Jordan's Aqaba; spillover into Israeli territory possible
Sunday 19 July 2026 13:30 , Bryony Gooch
The Israeli military said on Sunday that it had identified missiles launched from Iran towards the Jordanian city of Aqaba, adjacent to Israeli territory.
It also warned of possible spillover into southern Israel, as sirens sounded across Jordan, according to Jordanian state television.
Trump urges Republicans to 'add Iran' to Russian sanctions bill
Sunday 19 July 2026 13:14 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
US President Donald Trump has urged Republicans to add Iran to the Russian sanctions bill.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Republicans should add Iran to the Russian Sanctions Bill.”
Referencing the recent sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham he added: “That’s what Lindsey wanted to do, and it was going to happen. IMPORTANT!!!”.
The Act would seek to impose a 100 per cent tariff on the top five major buyers of Moscow’s oil and gas, specifically targeting China and India in a bid to pressure Moscow.
Jordan has not ordered evacuation of Aqaba airport or seaport, gov't spokesperson says
Sunday 19 July 2026 12:45 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Jordanian authorities have not issued any decision on Sunday to evacuate the airport or seaport in Aqaba, the government's spokesperson told Reuters, after the US embassy in Amman said they had been evacuated due to a credible threat.
"No potential threats have been recorded by the relevant Jordanian authorities in the past few hours," government spokesperson Mohammad Al-Momani told Reuters in a written statement. "The airport and port are operating normally."
The US embassy had said the airport and seaport were evacuated due to a "specific and credible threat", without providing further details.
It advised Americans to refrain from travelling to either location and to continue to follow all security directives issued by Jordanian authorities.
The US military said on Saturday that two of its personnel were killed in Jordan and another was missing after an Iranian attack.
Over the last week, Jordan has repeatedly said that it has intercepted Iranian missiles flying over its territory.
US completes eighth consecutive night of strikes on Iran
Sunday 19 July 2026 05:10 , Shahana Yasmin
The US military has completed its eighth consecutive night of strikes targeting military sites in Iran, as Washington intensified its campaign against Tehran.
US Central Command (Centcom) said it struck Iranian “military coastal surveillance and air defence facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites” to continue “degrading Iranian military capabilities”.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 19, 2026
American forces also targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel that Centcom said had launched the 17 July attack on US service members in Jordan, in which two American troops were killed.
In a statement, Centcom said more than 50,000 US military personnel remain deployed across the Middle East and are “highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready”.
Iran says it is no longer bound by interim US agreement
Sunday 19 July 2026 04:35 , Shahana Yasmin
Iran has announced that it is suspending its commitments under an interim agreement with the United States, accusing Washington of violating the deal through its continued military campaign.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, told state television that Tehran was “no longer implementing” the agreement, which had been signed about a month ago in an effort to permanently end the fighting.
Asked about Iran’s decision, Donald Trump dismissed the move, telling NewsNation he “couldn't care less”. He added that Washington remained focused on “never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon”.
US strikes reported near Shadegan and on Qeshm Island
Sunday 19 July 2026 04:25 , Shahana Yasmin
Fresh US airstrikes have hit areas near the southwestern Iranian city of Shadegan and on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian officials and state media.
Khuzestan’s deputy governor for security, quoted by Tasnim news agency, said emergency teams had been deployed near Shadegan and that further information on the extent of the damage would be released later.
On Qeshm Island, Tasnim reported that at least two explosions were heard after another round of US attacks. Emergency, security and operational teams were sent to assess the locations struck and determine whether there were any casualties or damage.
Trump calls deaths of US troops in Jordan 'a very sad thing'
Sunday 19 July 2026 04:10 , Shahana Yasmin
US president Donald Trump described the deaths of two American service members in Jordan as “a very sad thing” after they were killed while defending against Iranian missile and drone attacks.
Trump told NewsNation that the troops had died “in service of our country” and repeated that the conflict’s central objective was “never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon”.
On Iran’s announcement that it would no longer abide by a US-Iran memorandum of understanding, Trump replied: “I couldn't care less.”
US launches fresh strikes on Iran after deaths of 2 service members
Sunday 19 July 2026 04:00 , Shahana Yasmin
The US military launched a new wave of airstrikes on Iran on Sunday, saying the attacks were intended to “swiftly punish” the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after an Iranian drone and missile attack on a base in Jordan killed two American service members, left another missing and wounded four others.
US Central Command said the strikes were aimed at further degrading Iran’s ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran has stepped up maritime operations in recent days.
The US confirmed its first troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war. Since the conflict began, 16 US service members have been killed and more than 430 wounded, according to the Pentagon.
