U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran After Deaths in Jordan

TAMPA / WASHINGTON — U.S. Central Command said Saturday evening that American forces have begun launching new airstrikes against Iran at President Trump’s direction, hours after CENTCOM confirmed two U.S. service members were killed and one was missing in a Friday Iranian missile-and-drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. The announcement, posted by CENTCOM on X, is the first American reprisal action explicitly tied to the confirmed U.S. deaths.

What We Know

CENTCOM said U.S. forces “have begun launching new air strikes against Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction,” according to Middle East Eye’s live blog, which cited the command’s post. The statement does not identify targets, weapons, or the number of strike packages. It followed by hours CENTCOM’s confirmation earlier Saturday that two American service members were killed, one is missing, and four were wounded in the Friday attack on a U.S. base in Jordan, which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed as a “devastating and simultaneous” missile-drone operation.

The new strikes come on top of seven consecutive nights of U.S. airstrikes against Iranian territory that had already been running when Iran hit the Jordan base. President Trump had warned throughout the week that the U.S. campaign would expand to include power plants and bridges if Tehran did not return to negotiations. Iran said Saturday that U.S. strikes since June 27 have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500, according to Iran’s Health Ministry.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Trump’s signature on the collapsed June 17 memorandum of understanding “worthless” earlier Saturday, saying “the noble Iranian nation and the Axis of Resistance have unforgettable lessons in store” for the U.S. Army, according to the Jerusalem Post.

What We Don’t Know

CENTCOM has not disclosed the targets, munitions, or scale of the new strike package. It is not clear whether the strikes are limited retaliation against military targets tied to the Jordan attack — for instance, IRGC or launch-site facilities — or the opening of the broader power-grid and infrastructure campaign Trump had signaled. Iranian battle-damage claims, Iranian air-defense engagements, and any Iranian counter-response have not yet been reported. The status of the missing American service member from the Jordan attack has not been updated. The story is developing.

Context

The Friday attack on a U.S. base in Jordan was the first confirmed Iranian strike to kill American personnel since fighting resumed after the June 17 memorandum of understanding collapsed. IRGC-linked adviser Mohsen Rezaei this week warned of “full-scale offensive operations” if U.S. strikes continued, and Iran’s parliament speaker said Iranian forces had “complete freedom of action.” The last confirmed U.S. deaths from an Iranian-aligned attack in Jordan were three Army reservists killed in the January 2024 Tower 22 drone strike; the Biden administration retaliated within a week against militia targets in Iraq and Syria but did not strike Iranian territory directly.

Trump’s decision to order direct reprisal against Iranian territory, on top of an already-running seven-night bombing campaign, marks the sharpest escalation since fighting resumed. It also removes any residual ambiguity about whether Washington considers the Jordan strike an act of war.

What to Watch

1. Whether CENTCOM or the White House identifies the targets — a limited strike on IRGC facilities is a different signal than a strike on power plants, refineries, or leadership.
2. Iranian response: whether Tehran orders additional strikes on U.S. bases in Iraq, Syria, or the Gulf, or moves against Gulf shipping through Hormuz.
3. Congressional war-powers reaction: confirmed U.S. deaths plus a presidentially ordered escalation against a foreign state without a fresh authorization is the classic trigger for a floor vote.