US launches 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran as Trump vows retaliation

The United States carried out its 10th consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran late Monday (July 21), intensifying its campaign to weaken Tehran's military capabilities amid a widening regional conflict that has spilled across the Gulf.The latest attacks came after another American service member was killed and Iran launched fresh strikes targeting US allies, including Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.US launches fresh strikesUS Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had begun another round of strikes targeting Iranian military assets allegedly linked to attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."The strikes are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping" in the strategic waterway, CENTCOM said in a statement on X.The latest operation marks the 10th consecutive night of US military action against Iran following the collapse of last month's interim ceasefire.Trump vows retaliation after US troop deathsThe latest strikes followed the deaths of American service members in Jordan and Iraq.The Pentagon identified two soldiers killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan, while another US service member died in Iraq during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone.Reacting to the deaths, President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran."Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.Trump is expected to attend a ceremony at Dover Air Force Base on Tuesday to receive the remains of at least one fallen service member.Strait of Hormuz remains flashpointThe Strait of Hormuz continues to be the centre of the conflict, with both military operations and commercial shipping increasingly disrupted.The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said another commercial vessel was attacked near the United Arab Emirates after a separate ship caught fire near Oman's coast following a projectile strike.Iran's Revolutionary Guards later claimed responsibility for targeting tankers transiting the strait.The US has increasingly focused its military campaign on degrading Iran's maritime capabilities, arguing they threaten one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes.Houthis threaten Saudi oil exportsAnother front opened after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.The group said it intended to block shipping routes between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, threatening an alternative export route Saudi Arabia has relied upon as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slows.The announcement heightened concerns over global energy supplies, contributing to higher oil prices.Benchmark Brent crude traded above $88 a barrel on Monday, while average US gasoline prices climbed to around $4 per gallon.Diplomatic efforts continueDespite the military escalation, diplomatic channels remain active.Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad for talks with Pakistani leaders as Islamabad continued efforts to revive negotiations between Washington and Tehran.Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi struck an optimistic tone."God willing, We will have good news," Naqvi said after welcoming Momeni.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said Washington remained willing to negotiate if Tehran showed genuine intent."If the door opens to diplomacy — if the guys that want to do something productive for Iran win and take control of that system, or take control of the negotiations — that'll be a very positive development," Rubio said."That's not where we are tonight, unfortunately."Human and regional toll growsIranian authorities said at least 50 people had been killed and 517 wounded in the latest round of US strikes.Since the conflict began on February 28, the Pentagon says 17 American service members have been killed.With fighting spreading across multiple countries, shipping disruptions worsening and diplomatic efforts struggling to gain traction, the confrontation between Washington and Tehran continues to move closer to a broader regional war.