AdvertisementA munition is launched from a US warship at an unknown location during what US Central Command (CENTCOM) says are strikes on Iran, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on Jul 18, 2026. (Image: CENTCOM via Reuters)19 Jul 2026 09:55PM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST TEHRAN: The United States carried out airstrikes on Sunday (Jul 19) to "punish" Iran after the first US military deaths since open hostilities rekindled the Middle East war.Iran rapidly responded, saying two US bases in Kuwait were targeted in response to more than a week of intensifying attacks - which Tehran said included strikes on an airport, a railway station and bridges.A preliminary deal aimed at ending the war has collapsed as the foes fight to break the deadlock over the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway key to the world's oil supply.The Iranian army said it targeted two US bases in Kuwait with drones, hitting an ammunition depot at Camp Udairi and Patriot radar and air surveillance systems at the Ali Al Salem Air Base.Tehran had also launched fresh strikes in Jordan, where the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said two service members were killed on Friday as they "defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks".CENTCOM said another service member was still missing in action.Hormuz closure, Gulf strikes: What we know about the latest Iran-US attacksCommentary: Hormuz is no longer one front in US-Iran war - it is becoming a testThese deaths brought to 16 the confirmed number of US military fatalities since the US and Israel launched the war with deadly strikes on Iranian targets on Feb 28.The US military said it carried out an eighth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, with targets including units behind the attack that killed the two American troops in Jordan.The attacks aimed to "swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night", CENTCOM said.The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said the US attacked an under-construction nuclear power plant in the country's southwest, as tensions between Tehran and Washington escalate.In a statement carried by state TV, the agency said US forces "in an aggressive and brutal act contrary to international law, attacked the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant ... with a number of projectiles on Sunday".Iran tells Houthis to close Red Sea gateway if US hits power network, sources sayATTACKS ON JORDANSirens also sounded in Jordan, and the Israeli military said its forces along with Jordan's had intercepted an Iranian missile heading towards Jordan's port city of Aqaba.Iran did not immediately confirm launching the attack, but the US embassy in Amman had earlier warned its citizens of a "specific and credible threat" targeting Aqaba's port and airport.Kuwait's electricity ministry said a power and water plant was attacked for a second consecutive day, causing a fire at the facility.Bahrain's military also said its air defences "confronted, intercepted, and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian aerial attacks", accusing Iran of targeting civilians.The renewed violence was initially sparked by Iranian attacks on ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.Iran closed the strait after the war broke out, and control over the route has become leverage in negotiations with Washington, which reimposed on Tuesday its own blockade of Iran's ports.On Sunday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said two ships attempting to transit the strait were stopped."Four violating ships, with the mischief and support of American terrorists ... intended to disrupt and exit the Strait of Hormuz via an unsafe route, two of which had an accident and were stopped in place," IRGC said, adding that the other two ships abandoned their journey.Iran's health ministry said on Friday that 50 people had been killed since the renewed fighting broke out and more than 500 hurt.CNA Explains: Why the US' first combat use of sea drones mattersIN FOCUS: Small drones, big damage – how these unmanned weapons are reshaping warsVITAL INFRASTRUCTUREHope for a political settlement to the war has fallen by the wayside, though mediators have attempted to bring both sides back to the negotiating table.Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who took over from his father after he was killed in the opening salvo of US-Israeli strikes, vowed to teach the Americans an "unforgettable lesson", in a statement carried by state TV on Saturday.Major General Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military adviser to Khamenei, warned that Tehran would resume "full-scale offensive operations" if US strikes continued in the coming days.Iran's central military commander, Ali Abdollahi, warned that further US aggression would face a "decisive and devastating response", according to a statement carried by state television on Sunday.Gulf countries including Kuwait have accused Tehran of targeting civilian sites and vital infrastructure, with residents voicing worry that the renewed hostilities might drag on."The demand for water and canned goods has increased since this morning amid fears that services or supply chains will be affected," Kuwait resident Hassan Rayan, 61, said.Source: AFP/zlSign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...