Trump orders eighth US strike on Iran after Jordan attack

Two American service members were killed and another is missing following an Iranian missile and drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan on July 17. The fatalities mark the first U.S. deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the ongoing conflict, bringing the total number of American personnel killed in the war to 16.

President Donald Trump responded to the attack by ordering retaliatory strikes against Iran for an eighth consecutive night on Saturday, July 18. The U.S. military operations targeted Iranian military infrastructure, including coastal surveillance and air defense systems, maritime assets, and storage facilities for missiles and drones. U.S. Central Command stated the strikes were designed to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps units linked to the attack in Jordan.

In remarks to media outlets, President Trump called the soldiers' deaths a shame but framed their sacrifice as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to protect U.S. interests in the Middle East. He said he would contact the families of the fallen troops. When questioned by...