Trump’s latest warning to Iran: ‘Every American soldier killed will be avenged many times over’ | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump vowed to retaliate against Iran on Monday (July 20th) after US soldiers were killed in recent attacks, saying any future death of a US military member would be met with a response “many times over”.
Trump’s warning came as the Pentagon identified two US soldiers killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan as the US launched a ninth straight night of strikes against Iran. Tehran responded by attacking Bahrain and Kuwait, bringing the conflict closer to a wider regional war.
Trump warns Iran
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that Iran would face severe consequences for any American military casualties.
“Every time Iran kills an American soldier, they pay for that killing many times over!”
He added that he had authorized the leadership of the US military to implement the policy.
“This directive has been forwarded to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Daniel Caine and all military commanders.”
Pentagon identifies two soldiers killed in Jordan
The Department of Defense has identified the two U.S. soldiers killed during Iranian missile and drone strikes in Jordan as:
1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas
The Pentagon said the two soldiers were deployed to support the US mission against the Islamic State group.
US Central Command has previously confirmed that the soldiers were killed defending against Iranian ballistic missiles and drone attacks.
US military death toll rises
The Pentagon said 17 US service members have been killed since the conflict with Iran began on February 28.
The latest casualties underscore how American troops deployed in the Middle East remain vulnerable even without ground operations inside Iran.
Another member of the US military was killed in northern Iraq on Saturday while conducting a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone. The other soldier suffered minor injuries.
Trump says final strikes honor fallen soldiers
Hours after the latest casualty was announced, the United States launched another wave of airstrikes over Iran.
Trump defended the operation, saying it was carried out in memory of fallen soldiers.
“We hit them very hard again tonight.
He added: “And we did it in honor of the fallen soldiers.”
Ninth consecutive night of American strikes
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said U.S. forces conducted airstrikes for the ninth consecutive night targeting:
Coastal surveillance sites
Equipment for launching rockets and drones
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported the attacks near Tabriz, which is believed to be home to underground missile bases operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iranian media also reported attacks in Khuzestan, Hormozgan and Sistan and Baluchistan provinces.
Read also | How Iran is using billboards, murals and graffiti to threaten Trump and the US
Iran retaliates across the Gulf
Iran responded with attacks targeting Bahrain, home of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and Kuwait.
Air raid sirens sounded over Bahrain, while Kuwaiti authorities said air defense systems intercepted incoming Iranian missiles and drones.
The exchanges marked a further escalation of the conflict after the collapse of an interim ceasefire agreement last month.
The Strait of Hormuz remains in the middle
The Strait of Hormuz remains the main focus of the conflict.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a commercial vessel caught fire after being hit by a projectile near the Omani coast. The crew abandoned the ship, which was left in flames.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards later claimed responsibility for targeting tankers passing through the strategic waterway.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi movement announced a naval embargo against Saudi Arabia, raising new concerns about global energy supplies.
With shipping through Hormuz severely disrupted, Saudi Arabia increasingly relied on pipelines to transport oil to export terminals in the Red Sea.
Read also | Pentagon Rejects NYT Report on Undisclosed Iran War Casualties: ‘Outright Lies’
