The United States launched airstrikes against Iran on Saturday evening, retaliating for a drone and missile attack on two military bases in Jordan that killed two American service members, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) confirmed.
The strikes began at 6 p.m. EDT and were aimed at further degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials said. The operation was also intended to punish the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces responsible for Friday's assault on U.S. personnel in Jordan.
Centcom reported that one U.S. service member remains missing following the attack in Jordan. The U.S. military death toll since the start of the broader conflict now stands at 16. Four service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals and have since been discharged, while others with minor injuries have returned to duty.
“Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday.
Saturday's strikes mark the eighth consecutive day of U.S. kinetic action against Iran in the Centcom theater. The military has widened its attacks across Iran in recent days, hitting energy infrastructure, port facilities, and bridges as President Trump seeks to squeeze the Tehran regime. This escalation follows the earlier loss of two U.S. troops in Jordan and the expansion of strikes.
Iran has retaliated by striking U.S. allies in the region, targeting American bases nearby as well as power and desalination plants. The tit-for-tat exchanges have brought the two sides closer to all-out war, with each round of attacks raising the stakes.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei blamed the U.S. for breaching the fragile ceasefire. In a social media statement, he warned: “Now that the American enemy is seeking to escalate the conflict thereby incurring even heavier costs and further humiliation, it should know that the noble nation of Iran and the Resistance Front have unforgettable lessons in store for it.” Khamenei had previously denounced the Trump-brokered ceasefire as worthless amid the renewed hostilities.
The White House has not commented on whether further strikes are planned, but the administration's strategy appears focused on crippling Iran's economic and military infrastructure. The U.S. has also expanded operations to hit ports and bridges, aiming to strangle the regime's supply lines, as reported in the expansion of strikes to key infrastructure.
With no diplomatic off-ramp in sight and both sides digging in, the conflict shows no signs of de-escalation. The missing service member and rising death toll underscore the human cost of a confrontation that continues to spiral.
