Washington: US President Donald Trump announced the deaths of 18 American soldiers during the ongoing war involving his country and Israel against Iran. This announcement was made through a post on his social media account where he stated, “Military conflict with Iran: 4 months and 18 dead.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) recently reported the deaths of two American soldiers and the disappearance of a third in Jordan last Friday during efforts to repel Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, the US military confirmed the death of another soldier and minor injuries to a second in northern Iraq due to an explosion caused by munitions from an Iranian drone.

The conflict has seen the United States launching successive waves of strikes on Iranian sites, while Iran has been responding with attacks on bases and military installations. These sites are claimed by Iran to be linked to Washington, including areas located in northern Iraq.

This intensifying conflict follows a memorandum of understanding signed last June between Washington and Tehran, aimed at ceasing hostilities that began on February 28 and initiating broader negotiations. However, the ceasefire officially ended on July 8, following attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, for which Washington held Tehran responsible. The United States subsequently resumed its strikes inside Iran, prompting escalated responses from Iran in the region.

The United States has demanded that Iran cease its attacks on ships and ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran insists on regulating the passage of ships through the strategic waterway, raising concerns about potential disruptions to oil and gas exports. Washington supports an alternative route for commercial ships through the Strait, a proposal rejected by Tehran, which has threatened to target ships that do not coordinate with it before crossing this crucial global energy supply route.