According to Fox News and Associated Press, on July 19 local time, U.S. President Trump stated that the U.S. military's attack on Iran that day was in honor of three U.S. servicemen who died in the Middle East.
Fox News video screenshot
On that day, when asked about the casualties among US military personnel, Trump said, “We are very sorry,” and added that those who lost their lives fought to “prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons.”
We tonight (the 19th) struck them hard again in the evening, in order to commemorate the three – possibly three rather than two – great patriots of our country.
Trump claimed that Iran has suffered a very serious blow. "They have almost lost everything militarily. They still have some missiles, some drones, and a little bit of manufacturing capability, but not much."
He also said, "We control the strait, and they can't do anything about it."
Earlier on the 19th, the U.S. Central Command posted a statement on social media, announcing that two American soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack in Jordan on the 18th, and another soldier is missing. After thorough searches, the U.S. military discovered unidentified remains at the scene earlier on the 19th. Currently, identification and verification efforts are underway.
According to the latest reports from the U.S. Central Command, a series of air strikes against Iran was successfully completed on the 9th night of the campaign, at 10 p.m. ET.
According to reports, the targets of the strike include Iran’s military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance facilities, maritime combat capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, as well as communication networks.
Screenshot of the video released by the U.S. Central Command on the 19th
According to Iran International Television (IRANINTL), on the 20th local time, explosions occurred in several cities along the southern coast of Iran, including Chabahar, Konarak, and Mahshahr, as well as in Tabriz in the northwest of Iran.
IranIntl cited a report by IRNA on the 20th, stating that Iran has conducted another round of missile launches against 'enemy targets' in the western province of Lorestan.
According to reports, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard of Iran issued a statement on the 20th, stating that individuals in Jordan provided them with intelligence, helping them to target American military targets within Jordan.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard said that this intelligence allowed them to destroy 20 storage facilities used by US troops in the Azrak area of Jordan, as well as killing dozens of US military personnel. Ballistic missiles struck the US C-17 transport aircraft and P-8 command and control aircraft at the Aqaba Airport in Jordan, causing significant damage.
