Last night U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported it finished its ninth day of consecutive strikes on Iran, targeting Iranian air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks to “further diminish Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”
On July 14-15th, President Donald Trump warned strikes could get “really bad” next week, floating ideas of attacks on Iranian power plants. Then Trump said Iran “wants to meet and make a deal” while also claiming that Iranian military capabilities have been mostly depleted.
This past Thursday, Trump held his primetime address from the East Room. Insisting the war is “going well” and that Americans could expect to “see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly.”
Through July 17-18th, two Americans were killed by an Iranian attack in Jordan, and one American went MIA. The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base was struck by ballistic missiles and drones. CENTCOM said U.S. and partner forces were defending the attack when the casualties were inflicted.
The two killed were: Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, and 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan. Pvt. Gonzales was 19 and 1st Lt. Feehan was 25. They were both Army air-defense soldiers supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, not a direct part of the Iranian conflict’s front line.
A third service member was reported missing in action. The U.S. military had said they had recovered unidentified remains in the search area, but no reports have confirmed those remains being the missing service member. In a separate situation, another U.S. service member was killed in Iraq, during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone.
The U.S.-Iranian conflict has taken the lives of 17 Americans over the 5 months of ongoing conflict, per the Pentagon’s Operation Epic Fury casualty tally as reported by Al Jazeera and other outlets .
On June 17th, a 60 day ceasefire/MoU was signed. On July 10th, Trump declared the ceasefire over, posting on Truth Social: “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so… But the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!”
On one occasion on March 25th, Trump publicly signaled peace was coming, and Iran’s own ambassador plus Israel’s own UN envoy, both denied any such talks had occurred. Qatari and Pakistani mediators have been there throughout the peace talks, from indirect Doha talks, and Islamabad talks.
Alongside these talks Trump imposed a naval blockade on Iran on April 13th, interdicting ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. Iran has continued striking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz since.
The government’s stated justification of this conflict is Iran’s nuclear program. The IAEA had declared Iran in material breach of its non-proliferation obligations in 2025. But since strikes on Iranian facilities began, the IAEA says it has been unable to conduct in-field verification of Iran’s current enrichment levels or stockpile at all. The justification for war has been made harder to confirm.
Whether the talks in Doha and Islamabad represent real progress, or if the blockade and continued strikes are more accurate representations, is not something either side has settled, on the record or with each other.
