U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media on Monday that the U.S. forces will launch harsh retaliation against Iran following recent military casualties.
U.S. officials disclosed that nearly 100 U.S. service members have been injured in Iranian strikes this month across the Middle East.
In his post, Trump said "Every time lran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine and every Leader in the Military."
The U.S. Central Command confirmed on Saturday that two American personnel were killed on Friday in Jordan during an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack, with one additional service member reported missing. The following day, the U.S. military announced that another American was killed on Saturday in northern Iraq while attempting to defuse a downed Iranian drone.
However, the Trump administration has not entirely ruled out a diplomatic solution. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a media interview on Sunday evening that the administration "remains open to a diplomatic solution."
An U.S. official said on Monday that multiple Iranian airstrikes targeting U.S. military bases in the Middle East this month have injured nearly 100 U.S. military personnel.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that since July 7, nearly 100 U.S. military personnel have been diagnosed with varying degrees of injuries, with 96 percent already returning to duty.
Parnell noted that the vast majority of injuries were minor concussions, and the affected personnel "are actively returning to combat positions."
Trump vows harsh retaliation against Iran following recent US military casualties
Trump vows harsh retaliation against Iran following recent US military casualties
Trump vows harsh retaliation against Iran following recent US military casualties
