Washington, DC [US], July 19 (ANI): US fighter jets have launched fresh airstrikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, according to a report by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency.The news agency stated that “at least two explosions were heard on the island” during the latest round of military action.Following the strikes, “emergency, security and operational teams have been deployed to identify the locations hit and assess any casualties or damage,” the report added.This latest bombardment comes as part of a fresh barrage of American airstrikes conducted on Saturday following the killing of two US troops. The broader regional hostilities have intensified significantly, with Tehran expanding its offensive across the Gulf and vowing additional retaliation.The recent flare-up was triggered by the fatalities of the two US service members in Jordan.The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the personnel were killed while they “defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks”. CENTCOM further noted that another service member remained missing in action.With these latest casualties in Jordan, the verified American military death toll has reached 16 since the outbreak of the conflict on February 28.Hours after the incident, CENTCOM confirmed an eighth consecutive night of military operations.It announced on X that the strikes “are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night”.Iranian news outlets Fars and Tasnim reported that American forces targeted Sirik, a southern Iranian port city located on the strategic Strait of Hormuz.US President Donald Trump defended the ongoing military campaign against Iran during a telephonic interview with The New York Post. Trump stated that the deployed troops had made the ultimate sacrifice to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, warning that the confrontation could engulf the wider region if Iran is not checked.Speaking approximately an hour after the commencement of the latest US airstrikes, Trump termed the deaths of the service members “a shame” but asserted that the mission was vital.”They did it because they don’t want to see Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump remarked regarding the troops, adding, “… And it just shows you how bad [the Iranians] are.”Responding to the developments, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed power after his father was assassinated on the opening day of the US-Israeli strikes, declared that the persistent assaults had “once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president’s signature”.In a statement broadcast by Iranian state television, Khamenei added, “Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it.”Major General Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military adviser to Khamenei, cautioned that Tehran would initiate “full-scale offensive operations” should American bombardments persist in the upcoming days. According to state media, the general affirmed, “Iran will no longer limit itself to retaliatory, like-for-like responses.”Tehran has already launched retaliatory strikes against infrastructure across the Gulf following a week of heightened US bombardments, which Iran claimed targeted an airport, a railway station, and bridges.A month after both parties inked a preliminary accord intended to halt the fighting, Iran struck an oil facility alongside a power and desalination plant in Kuwait, according to authorities in the Gulf nation. Kuwait has condemned Tehran for striking civilian locations and vital infrastructure, amid mounting anxiety among local residents over the protracted conflict.In Bahrain, the military announced that its air defence networks successfully repelled a wave of Iranian strikes. However, the Iranian army, via the state broadcaster, claimed it had successfully targeted a military air base utilised by American forces in Bahrain.Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that fuel storage tanks at the Al-Azraq US base in Jordan had been hit. A day prior, the Revolutionary Guards asserted they had utilised missiles and drones to strike American aircraft positioned at the site. The Jordanian military stated it intercepted 10 missiles on Saturday, following the downing of at least three missiles the day before.The latest escalation follows Iranian operations against maritime vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for Gulf energy exports. Iran shut down the strait after the commencement of hostilities, using control of the waterway as leverage in diplomatic talks with Washington, which recently reinstated its own blockade of Iranian ports.Iran’s health ministry announced on Friday that 50 individuals had been killed and more than 500 injured since the resumption of hostilities. (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)