U.S. forces launched airstrikes against Iran for the 10th consecutive day, after President Donald Trump warned that "Iran will pay a multiple price for every American soldier it kills."
U.S. Central Command said on the 20th that "at 4 p.m. Eastern time (5 a.m. Korea time on the 21st), on the orders of the commander in chief, we launched a new strike against Iran." It said the strike was "aimed at degrading Iran's military capability to attack merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz."
Amid recent additional U.S. military deaths in Iraq and elsewhere, Trump wrote on Truth Social that day: "Iran will pay a multiple price for every American soldier it kills." He added, "This instruction has been conveyed to Secretary of Defense (War) Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine, and the entire military command." Since the U.S. launched Operation "Magnificent Fury" on Feb. 28, a total of 17 U.S. service members have been killed in action.
Diplomatic efforts between the two sides are nonetheless continuing. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at a briefing that day, "Several proposals (from the United States) have been conveyed through mediators, and we have received them, but at this point I will not comment on specific details." He added, "While our military is responding by striking hard at the source of U.S. aggression, our diplomatic authorities are also making every effort."
