US launches new Iran strikes after two soldiers killed: What’s the latest?

EXPLAINERUS strikes target Iran’s IRGC after two of its soldiers were killed in Jordan, as Tehran attacks Kuwait and Bahrain.Published On 19 Jul 2026The United States has launched new strikes on Iran after two of its soldiers were killed in Iranian strikes in Jordan late on Friday.Saturday marked the eighth consecutive night of US attacks on Iran since the conflict between the two countries was renewed this month, eroding fragile ceasefire negotiations.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4US hits Iran for eighth consecutive night, Iran returns fire on Gulf baseslist 2 of 4Iran’s supreme leader warns US of ‘unforgettable lessons’ amid MoU breacheslist 3 of 4US military says two service members killed in Iranian strike in Jordanlist 4 of 4What to expect after the US reimposes naval blockade on Iran’s ports?end of listHere is a recap of what happened on Saturday night and early Sunday, and what leaders from both sides have said:Where was Iran attacked?US Central Command (CENTCOM) said at 03:30 GMT on Sunday that it hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defence facilities, maritime capabilities and missile and drone storage sites.CENTCOM added that its “military assets” attacked forces from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that launched attacks against the US military in Jordan on Friday, which was Saturday local time.“The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night,” CENTCOM said.Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar Atas, reporting from Iranian capital Tehran, said the US attacks are aimed at “isolating” southern Iran from the rest of the country.“Several bridges have been hit, in addition to railways, tunnels, airports and roads … The destruction of civilian infrastructure is significantly limiting the movement of people, goods and logistical supplies,” he said, adding that hospitals are being evacuated and exams at schools are being postponed.“The US is trying to degrade the IRGC’s capacity, but these infrastructures are also used by civilians. Americans are trying to isolate the south of the country from the rest of Iran. On the other hand, the IRGC says it will not give up the Strait of Hormuz. They believe the reason the US is focusing on these provinces along the waterway is to ensure that the IRGC does not control it,” Serdar Atas added.Al Jazeera’s Tohid Assidi, also reporting from Tehran, said, citing the latest reports, that jet sounds were heard over the skies of Kish Island, and that there were reports of explosions in the city of Sirik.He said Sirik is an important geostrategic location because it oversees the Strait of Hormuz.Several explosions have been heard in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas alongside reports of multiple attacks on nearby Qeshm Island, according to the Iranian media.The Mehr news agency reported on Sunday morning that a location near Qeshm was targeted in a US military attack. The Tasnim news agency reported that at least six missiles struck areas on the outskirts of the island.US jets targeted a location near the city of Shadegan in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province, Tasnim reported on Sunday, citing the province’s deputy governor for security.Where in the Gulf has Iran struck?Kuwait: Iran’s army said on Sunday it launched a large-scale drone attack on two “US military facilities” in Kuwait, an ammunition depot at Camp al-Adiri and air defence radars at Ali Al Salem airbase, Iranian media reported.The Kuwaiti military said on Sunday that its air defences were “confronting hostile missile and drone attacks” after “sinful Iranian aggression”.Bahrain: Air raid sirens were sounded in the Gulf kingdom, including capital Manama, on Sunday.“Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” Bahrain’s interior ministry said in a statement.What have officials on either side said?US President Donald Trump said the deaths of the American soldiers in the Iranian attack on Jordan on Friday were “a very sad thing”.“We’re never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” he added.Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday warned the US will suffer “unforgettable lessons” at the hands of Tehran and its regional allies, accusing the US of repeatedly violating the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries.A written statement attributed to Khamenei was read out on state television, in which he said Washington’s breaches of last month’s MoU showed that Trump’s signature was “utterly worthless and invalid”.Major-General Ali Abdullahi, the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has warned the US, saying “any aggression or barbarism will be met with a decisive and devastating response” from the country’s armed forces.In a statement carried by Iranian state media on Sunday, Abdullahi described the US as “the Great Satan” as well as “the criminal, treacherous and deceitful enemy”.