President Donald Trump ordered a ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, hours after the military confirmed the recent death of a third U.S. soldier.
U.S. Central Command announced Sunday night that forces initiated strikes at 7 p.m. EST following the confirmation of a soldier's death at a base in Northern Iraq. CENTCOM stated it would "continue degrading Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz."
Speaking to reporters, Trump expressed sorrow over the American fatalities, stating, "But you know, those great patriots were out there fighting [so] that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon." He added that Iran "has been very, very badly damaged" militarily and that the U.S. controls the Strait of Hormuz.
These strikes followed a weekend barrage that U.S. forces carried out against Iranian missile depots, drones, and air defenses. The initial strikes concluded Saturday at 11:30 p.m. and were directed at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for a fatal attack on U.S. assets in Jordan on Friday.
On Sunday, CENTCOM reported that a third service member died during a "controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone" in Northern Iraq during actions on Saturday. The military has not released the identities of the soldiers out of respect for their families. The attack in Jordan resulted in two fatalities, one missing service member, and four injured who were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. These four have since been discharged.
In an interview, Trump called the deaths "a very sad thing" but affirmed that their sacrifice was "in service to our country" and reiterated the U.S. stance of never allowing Iran to possess a nuclear weapon.
Separately, billboards have appeared in Tehran with messages directed at U.S. leadership. One billboard in Valiasr Square read, "Who is D nexT one? #lindseygraham," while another in Enghelab Square depicted Trump in an open coffin with the words "We will kill Trump" written underneath in English and Persian. These displays have fueled conspiracy theories, though no evidence suggests Iranian involvement in Senator Lindsey Graham's recent death.
