US launches retaliatory strikes on Iran as Trump mourns two American troops killed in Jordan

The United States launched a fresh barrage of airstrikes on Iran on Saturday after two US troops were killed, as the conflict gathered momentum and Tehran expanded its attacks across the Gulf while pledging further retaliation.

The latest escalation followed the deaths of two US service members in Jordan, with the US military's Central Command (Centcom) saying they were killed while they "defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. " Centcom added that another service member remained missing in action.

With the deaths of two US troops in Jordan, the confirmed US military death toll since the conflict erupted on February 28 has risen to 16.

Hours later, Centcom announced an eighth consecutive night of strikes, saying on X that the operations "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."

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At the same time, Iranian news agencies Fars and Tasnim reported that US forces had struck Sirik, a port on the Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran.

US President Donald Trump defended the military campaign against Iran. In a phone interview with The New York Post, Trump said the troops had made the ultimate sacrifice to stop Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and cautioned that the conflict could spread across the region if Iran were not restrained.

Speaking about an hour after the latest round of US airstrikes began, Trump described the deaths of the service members as “a shame” but maintained that the operation remained essential.

“They did it because they don’t want to see Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said of the troops. “… And it just shows you how bad [the Iranians] are.”

Iran vows retaliation

Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father after he was killed on the first day of the US-Israeli strikes, said the continued attacks had "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature."

"Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it," he said in a statement carried by state television.

Major General Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military adviser to Khamenei, warned that Tehran would resume "full-scale offensive operations" if US strikes continued over the coming days.

"Iran will no longer limit itself to retaliatory, like-for-like responses," the general said, according to state media.

Gulf infrastructure comes under attack

Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting infrastructure around the Gulf after a week of intensified US attacks, which Tehran said had hit an airport, a railway station and bridges.

A month after the two sides signed a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the conflict, Iran struck an oil facility in Kuwait as well as a power and water plant, according to authorities in the Gulf state.

In Bahrain, the army said its air defence systems had repelled a wave of Iranian attacks.

The Iranian army also said it had targeted an air base used by American forces in Bahrain, according to the state broadcaster.

In Jordan, Iranian state television reported that fuel tanks at the Al-Azraq US base had been targeted. A day earlier, the Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked US aircraft stationed there using missiles and drones.

The Jordanian army said it intercepted 10 missiles on Saturday after shooting down at least three the previous day.

Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of conflict

The latest escalation followed Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route used for Gulf energy exports.

Iran closed the strait after the conflict began, and control of the waterway has become leverage in negotiations with Washington, which recently reimposed its own blockade of Iran's ports.

Iran's health ministry said on Friday that 50 people had been killed since the renewed fighting began and more than 500 had been injured.

Kuwait residents express concerns

Kuwait accused Tehran of targeting civilian sites and critical infrastructure as concerns grew among residents over the continuing hostilities.

"The demand for water and canned goods has increased since this morning amid fears that services or supply chains will be affected," Hassan Rayan, 61, said on Saturday.

Another resident, Ali Mahmoud, 46, said "the streets and beaches were almost empty, even though it is a holiday."