US military launches new airstrikes to punish Iran for deaths of US troops
The US military has launched retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian forces following a deadly attack on a base in Jordan that killed two American service members. The conflict has escalated, with Iran targeting US assets in Kuwait and the Kurdistan region.
Why it matters
The direct military engagement between the US and Iran represents a significant escalation in regional instability and global oil supply security.
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DUBAI: The US military said that it carried out new airstrikes against Iran on Sunday to “swiftly punish” the country’s Revolutionary Guard after an attack on a base in Jordan killed two American service members, left one missing and four requiring hospitalization.</p>
The Central Command said in a statement that the airstrikes began at 6 p.m. ET (2200 GMT), at President Donald Trump’s direction.</p>
“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,” it said, without providing further details.</p>
The waterway accounted for roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies before the war. Iran effectively closed the strait to shipping traffic after the war started with US and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.</p>
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