US Completes Ninth Straight Night of Strikes on Iran After Deaths of Service Personnel

Bloomberg reported that the US and Iran engaged in a quickening series of tit-for-tat attacks, with the American military conducting a wave of strikes on the Islamic Republic following the deaths of service personnel. US Central Command said Sunday it completed a ninth straight evening of attacks targeting Iranian command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and communications networks, aimed at further diminishing Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping. A US service member was killed Saturday in northern Iraq while trying to disarm an unexploded Iranian drone. On Friday, two US troops were killed in Jordan in an attack ascribed to the IRGC, with four others wounded and one missing. The total US toll has reached 17 since the war began on Feb. 28. U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters the strikes were conducted in honor of the killed personnel, saying they were fighting so Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. He said he feels very badly about the casualties. Strikes have expanded beyond military targets to include bridges, utilities and port facilities. Brent crude rose almost 4% to trade above $90 a barrel, the highest since mid-June. Bloomberg Economics analysts Dina Esfandiary and Becca Wasser said the two sides are stuck in an escalatory spiral that will likely lead to an ugly week with more strikes and higher oil prices. Kuwait bore the brunt of Iran's retaliation, with Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reporting significant losses at an oil site and two power and desalination plants hit. Israel intercepted an Iranian drone near the Israel-Syria border. The US is sending more F-16 and F-35 warplanes to the region. Iran announced it would no longer adhere to the interim peace deal. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of unforgettable lessons, saying US violations proved the worthlessness of the US president's signature.