Key facts
- The US launched a ninth night of strikes against Iran.
- Three US service members have died in recent days.
- Donald Trump stated the attacks were in honor of the deceased service members.
- Iran warned of retaliation if US attacks continue.
- Oil prices, specifically Brent crude, rose following the news.
The United States conducted a ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran early Monday, following the recent deaths of three American service members. President Donald Trump declared the new attacks were "in honor" of the fallen, while Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a warning of severe repercussions if the strikes persist.
Trump has also threatened to target Iran's power infrastructure, including power stations and bridges, in an effort to compel Tehran to ease its control over the Strait of Hormuz. The US reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports last week, reporting the redirection of six ships and the disabling of one since Saturday.
The recent fatalities include one service member killed on Saturday in northern Iraq during the controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian attack drone. Two other military personnel died in an Iranian attack on a Jordanian airbase on Friday, with a third missing in action. In total, 17 US service members have been killed since the conflict began in February, following the death of the former Iranian supreme leader in joint US-Israeli strikes.
President Trump has cited preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and forcing regime change as motives for the war. However, US energy secretary Chris Wright suggested on Sunday that the mission has evolved to focus on ensuring the free flow of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, particularly as a US-Iran ceasefire appears to have faltered.