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Fresh US strikes on Iran, bases hit in Bahrain, Trump warns Tehran 'will pay': Top 6 updates on Iran war
President Donald Trump vowed Tehran "will pay" for the killing of American soldiers.
The conflict between Iran and the United States continued to intensify overnight into July 21, with fresh missile and drone attacks, expanding military operations, and growing concerns over maritime security in the Gulf.
Iran claimed to have struck a US air defence system in Bahrain as Washington carried out its 10th consecutive night of strikes.
Commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz also came under attack, while Tehran warned it was engaged in a "full-scale war" and the Pentagon identified two US soldiers killed in Iranian attacks.
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Here are the top six developments to understand the latest in the US-Iran war:
1. Iran claims strike on US air defence system in Bahrain
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted a US Patriot air defence system in Riffa, Bahrain, with missiles and drones late Monday night, marking another escalation in the widening conflict, Reuters reported.
2. US launches 10th straight night of strikes on Iran
The United States carried out its 10th consecutive night of military strikes on Iran after President Donald Trump vowed Tehran "will pay" for the killing of three American soldiers.
The US military said the latest operation aimed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz following Iranian attacks on US allies Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. Five hours later, the US forces posted another update on X, stating that they struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Hormuz.
3. Commercial tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz
A commercial tanker was struck in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman early Tuesday, the British military said, in the latest attack on shipping through the strategically vital waterway, according to AP.
4. Maritime security concerns grow after fresh shipping attacks
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessel reported being hit by an unidentified projectile over radio. The incident followed two similar attacks in the previous 24 hours, claimed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, heightening concerns over security in one of the world's busiest oil shipping routes.
5. Iran says it is in 'full-scale war' with the US
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that the country was fighting a "full-scale war" with the United States as Washington expanded its military campaign. Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi rebels threatened to blockade Saudi ports, potentially disrupting Riyadh's alternative oil export routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
6. Pentagon identifies two US soldiers killed in Jordan
The Pentagon identified First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Hawaii, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Texas, as the two US Army soldiers killed in Jordan during Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks on Friday. The deaths marked the first US troop fatalities from direct Iranian fire since the early days of the conflict. Feehan will be posthumously promoted to captain and awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge.
(With inputs from agencies)
