The U.S. military launched a new round of strikes against Iranian targets on Monday, hitting military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
The command said the strikes were aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Today at 4 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began a new round of strikes against Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction. The strikes are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 20, 2026
“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” CENTCOM said.
The locations of the strikes were not disclosed. At the time of the strikes, Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that explosions were heard in the southern Iranian cities of Shiraz and Bandar Lengeh.
Sounds of an explosion have also been reported in Shiraz, with IRNA journalists on the ground attempting to trace the source.
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) July 20, 2026
According to initial reports, the sound of an explosion was heard in the coastal city of Bandar Lengeh only moments ago.
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) July 20, 2026
The strikes came after the deaths of three U.S. service members were announced. Two were killed in Iranian attacks in Jordan, while another died during a “controlled detonation” of unexploded ordnance in northern Iraq.
The deaths marked the first U.S. military fatalities since the U.S. and Iran resumed hostilities earlier this month, bringing the number of American troops killed in the conflict to 17, with more than 420 others wounded.
On Monday, President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face consequences for the deaths of U.S. service members.
“Every time Iran kills an American soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. “This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every leader in the military.”
Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military. President DONALD J. TRUMP
( TS:… pic.twitter.com/UtLRT8G5Gm
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 20, 2026
The Department of War on Monday identified the two soldiers killed in an Iranian attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas.
The department said the two soldiers were killed during the attack on Friday and Saturday while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led mission against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
Feehan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Gonzales was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, in Ansbach, Germany.
The Pentagon said one service member from the Jordan attack remains missing, while four others who were injured were taken to a hospital and later released. Other personnel were treated for minor injuries.
The White House said Trump will attend dignified transfer ceremonies for the fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Despite the ongoing attacks, officials said they remained open to the possibility of a diplomatic solution. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that the U.S. “remains open” to talks, while an Iranian official said Tehran is also willing to engage in discussions.
