US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it completed its ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran at 10 p.m. ET on July 19. According to CENTCOM, the operation targeted Iranian military command centers, air-defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks. The U.S. military said the strikes were intended to further reduce Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM also said a new wave of strikes began at 7 p.m. ET and that operations remain ongoing.
The U.S. Navy said guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) remains deployed as American forces continue implementing a naval blockade against Iran. CENTCOM said that, as of July 19, it had redirected six commercial vessels and disabled one vessel to ensure compliance. President Donald Trump later said the United States was carrying out heavy strikes to avenge three U.S. service members killed in the Middle East. He said U.S. forces had struck Iran for nine consecutive nights and claimed Iran’s military had been “hit very hard.”
CENTCOM also provided updates on U.S. military casualties. Following an Iranian attack in Jordan on July 17, two U.S. service members were confirmed dead and one remained missing. The military said unidentified remains were found at the site on July 19 and an examination is underway to verify their identity. Separately, a U.S. service member was killed in northern Iraq on July 18 during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone, while another service member suffered a minor injury. CENTCOM said it is withholding the identities of the missing and fallen personnel until family notifications are completed.
Iranian state media reported multiple explosions across the country as the conflict intensified. IRNA reported three explosions in Tabriz, while Iranian media also reported explosions in Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr, Bandar Imam Khomeini Port, Sirik, Hormozgan, Bushehr, Delijan and Arak. Mehr News Agency reported that Iran activated an air-defense system in Konarak and said an air-defense unit shot down a drone over southern Iran. Mehr also reported that an MQ-9 drone was intercepted and shot down west of Islamabad by an advanced air-defense system operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched ballistic missiles at the U.S. aircraft facilities at Jordan’s Aqaba airport and warned that the Strait of Hormuz could not be considered safe while U.S. military operations continue in the region. Iranian state media also reported that a new wave of missiles was launched from Lorestan province toward “enemy targets.” Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Manama, Bahrain, said it had received information indicating Iran could attempt attacks against locations in downtown Manama and urged U.S. citizens to remain vigilant. Separately, UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a vessel caught fire about 8 nautical miles (14.8 km) northwest of Kumzar, Oman, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, with the cause of the fire remaining unconfirmed.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States remains open to resolving the Iran issue through diplomatic means. Separately, Iran’s deputy foreign minister condemned the U.S. strike on the under-construction Darkhwin power plant, calling it a dangerous attack on peaceful infrastructure and saying Washington would bear responsibility for any escalation. The Washington Post reported that the United States and Iran have moved closer to full-scale conflict, citing reciprocal strikes, the deaths of at least three, possibly four, U.S. service members, and a U.S. official who said Washington is planning “a larger-scale war” while deploying additional military aircraft to the region.
Oil prices jumped sharply on Monday. Brent crude hit $90.50 a barrel, the first time since mid-June. Renewed military action between the United States and Iran raised fears about crude supplies in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent rose 2.7%. West Texas Intermediate gained 2.4% to $84.49 a barrel.
Iran Says Peace, Diplomacy Must Serve National Interests
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Iranians are known for their love of peace and that no rational person welcomes war. Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the conflict was imposed on Iran, adding that peace is not a luxury and the country has made significant sacrifices to preserve it. He said Iran remains open to talks with the U.S. if they serve its national interests.
Baghaei said diplomacy is another tool to protect Iran’s interests, not the opposite of war. He confirmed Iran had received a proposal from a mediator but declined to reveal details. He also said there is no justification for the U.S. to violate the memorandum of understanding and strongly condemned U.S. strikes on a medical center, a bridge and other civilian infrastructure, calling them attacks on the right to life, security and human dignity.
Iran Rejects Claims of Yemen Air Embargo
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran does not recognize any air embargo on Yemen, calling such an interpretation of UN Security Council resolutions incorrect. He also described sanctions on nations as unjust and cruel.
Baghaei said the recent flight to Iran carried a Yemeni delegation attending a ceremony for Iran’s slain leaders, along with wounded Yemenis returning home after receiving medical treatment in Iran.
He said Iran quickly condemned the attack on Sana’a airport, adding that strikes on Yemen’s civilian infrastructure violate the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and should not be repeated.
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