Shafaq News- Washington/ Tehran (Updayed at 22:57)
The United States and Iran exchanged attacks for a ninth consecutive day on Monday, with Washington tightening its naval blockade and launching strikes inside Iran while Tehran claimed missile and drone operations against US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces had redirected seven commercial vessels and disabled another to prevent ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports. The command had previously confirmed strikes on Iranian missile and drone launchers, command centers, air defense systems, coastal surveillance sites, naval assets, and other military infrastructure.
U.S. service members aboard amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) support flight operations day and night from the Arabian Sea as CENTCOM enforces the naval blockade against Iran. As of July 20, the U.S. military has redirected 7 commercial vessels and disabled 1 to prevent… pic.twitter.com/a1gtwipPUf
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 20, 2026
Iranian media reported new US airstrikes on Khomein in Markazi province and an area near Shiraz, where local authorities recorded no fatalities. The Health Ministry placed the death toll from US attacks since June 27 at more than 50, with 517 others wounded, including women and children.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for a new wave of “retaliatory operations” targeting US drone maintenance facilities at Sakhir Air Base and TF-59 naval infrastructure at Salman Port in Bahrain, in addition to a special operations support facility at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.
🎥 تصاویر ضربات سنگین نیروی دریایی سپاه به ارتش کودککش آمریکا با حمله همزمان در سه محور https://t.co/OJ8vu7sriB pic.twitter.com/IMUMgKsSUG
— خبرگزاری فارس (@FarsNews_Agency) July 20, 2026
Quoting military source at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army General Command, Jordan's state news agency, Petra, said that air defense systems shot down three missiles coming from Iran after they entered the Kingdom's airspace. The interceptions caused no casualties or material damage.
US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face overwhelming retaliation if additional American personnel were killed, adding that he had instructed War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Daniel Caine, and US military commanders to respond.
CENTCOM and the Associated Press put the US toll since the war began at 17 service members, including two killed in Iranian attacks on bases in Jordan and one who died while disposing of explosives recovered from an Iranian drone in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.