Online Desk 

The United States has launched airstrikes on Iran following the deaths of two U.S. service members and the disappearance of another in Jordan. The operation, ordered by President Donald Trump, was confirmed by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted units of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly linked to the attack on U.S. forces in Jordan, as well as military assets aimed at weakening Iran's capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz. No detailed information on the targets or damage has been released.

Iran's state news agency reported that the strikes hit the southern city of Sirik but said there were no immediate reports of casualties or major infrastructure damage. Meanwhile, the number of U.S. military personnel killed in the ongoing conflict has risen to 16, with more than 420 others injured.

Ahead of the strikes, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei warned that Washington was escalating the conflict and would "pay a heavy price." With a month-old ceasefire now collapsed, the exchange of attacks has heightened fears of a wider regional war in the Middle East.