Trump warns Iran it will pay ‘many times over’ for any US troops killed

United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran would pay “many times over” for any American troops killed amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East.

“Every time Iran kills an American soldier they will pay for that killing many times over,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“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,” he added.

pic.twitter.com/FrkHCMnEGo

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 20, 2026

Return to pre-July 9 position to resume talks: Pakistan and Qatar tell US, Iran in joint proposal

A joint de-escalation proposal by Pakistan and Qatar has urged the United States and Iran to return to their pre-July 9 positions "as a first step" to resume stalled talks to permanently end their months-long war, Pakistani government sources told Anadolu on Monday.

The proposal, jointly drafted by Islamabad and Doha after "consulting regional partners", called on both sides to return to the positions they held before the beginning of the fresh hostilities, the sources added.

"Returning to the pre-July 9 position will be the first step to halt the raging hostilities and pave the way for the resumption of talks either in Islamabad or Doha," a Pakistani source close to the ongoing mediation efforts said.

According to the proposal, the sources added, Iran will "immediately" reopen the Strait of Hormuz, whereas the US will end the blockade of Iranian ports and lift sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil.

The sources added that the formula also proposes a two-week ceasefire to halt the ongoing retaliatory military strikes for the resumption of stalled talks.

The sources further said that Washington and Tehran, if they agree, will "immediately" resume the stalled talks, and the implementation of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon will be at the top of the agenda.

Pakistani sources said mediators are hopeful for a "positive" response from both sides and expect talks to resume "very soon."

Iran engaged in 'full-scale war' with the US: Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Iran is engaged in a “full-scale war” with the United States and Iran must accept the repercussions of the conflict.

“The reality is that today the Islamic Republic of Iran is engaged in a full-scale war. We must be realistic and accept the natural consequences of this resistance,” Pezeshkian said, according to a presidential statement reported by Al Jazeera.

Pezeshkian added that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed with the US largely favours Iran.

“In none of the 14 clauses … have we backed down from our rights, principles, national interests, revolutionary values, and beliefs,” he said.

“A major part of the achievements has been in favour of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and practically no clause can be found that has created a unilateral benefit for the American side,” Pezeshkian said.

Hostilities resumed in the Gulf region between the United States and Iran this month despite the agreement that was signed in June.

'Actions must confirm claims, not contradict them': Parliament speaker Ghalibaf

Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf stated on X that the US keeps "bringing new military equipment to the region" while claiming "they're after stopping the war."

آمریکایی‌ها مدام تجهیزات نظامی جدید به منطقه می‌آورند و ادعا می‌کنند دنبال توقف جنگند. روی هوش ما اندازهٔ آی کیوی مختصر خودشان حساب کرده‌اند.
ما در شناخت این آمریکایی‌بازی‌ها به مرحلهٔ استاد تمامی رسیده‌ایم و بر این اساس آماده شده‌ایم. اقدامات باید مؤید ادعاها باشد نه ناقض آن‌ها.

— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) July 20, 2026

"They've bet on our intelligence being as brief as their own IQ," he said, criticising the contradictory rhetoric and actions of the US government, adding that Iran recognises the "American games."

Ghalibaf added that "on that basis, we have prepared ourselves."

"Actions must confirm claims, not contradict them."

US identifies soldiers killed in Iran attack on Jordan

The Pentagon stated that Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, were killed in the Iranian strikes on Jordan on Friday, as per Al Jazeera.

The US service members were supporting a US mission against the armed group ISIL (ISIS), a statement said.

On Saturday, the US Central Command said two troops were killed in Jordan while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. The US military said the total number of deaths in the US-Israeli war on Iran is now 17.

The deaths reflect the complicated reality that American soldiers don’t need to be on the ground in Iran for there to be lethal risks in a conflict that involves drones and missiles.

American forces are arrayed across the Middle East making other nations targets of Iran as the fighting has escalated after a breakdown in peace talks.

Iran says it received proposals from mediators to de-escalate with US, remains committed to diplomacy

Iran said on Monday it has received proposals from mediators aimed at de-escalating tensions and is reviewing them, while reaffirming its commitment to diplomacy amid an exchange of fire between Washington and Tehran.

Baghaei also said that mediators are working to prevent further escalation and have conveyed proposals to Tehran.

“We have received the proposals through mediators, but will not discuss their details at this stage,” Baghaei said in his comments carried by the state broadcaster IRIB.

He said Iran's diplomatic corps continues to carry out its responsibilities alongside the country's armed forces.

“While our armed forces respond firmly and decisively to the source of American aggression, diplomacy is fully aware of its duties and spares no effort in fulfilling them,” he said.

Baghaei added that Iranian diplomats “will not abandon their duty,” just as the country's armed forces “will not neglect their duty to defend the homeland.”

He also said Iran is determined, in cooperation with Oman, to take the necessary measures “to fully exercise its sovereignty and prevent any security threats in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Baghaei rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that Iran had released an American citizen previously detained on espionage charges.

Echoing an earlier statement by Iran's judiciary, he said no American prisoner matching Trump's description had been released from an Iranian prison.

“The individual in question was not a prisoner and was not charged with espionage,” Baghaei said.

Last week, Trump said that Iran had released an American citizen who he said had been “wrongfully detained” in December 2024.

“She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition. The United States of America appreciates this gesture of goodwill by Iran,” he said on his Truth Social platform.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vow to repel any US ground incursion

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed on Monday to “immediately repel” any US ground incursion into Iranian territory.

Speaking during a ceremony honoring air defense forces in the northeastern city of Shahroud, Brigadier General Rouhollah Nouri, deputy commander of the IRGC Ground Forces, said defense units are at the highest level of readiness to counter any US ground assault.

“The IRGC Ground Forces, particularly the defense units, are at the highest level of readiness and will neutralize any hostile act or enemy infiltration at the very first moment,” Nouri said in statements carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

“The continuous vigilance and permanent readiness of the armed forces guarantee Iran’s sustainable security, and this level of preparedness is being pursued seriously across all operational sectors,” he added.

The warning came as the US continued to carry out airstrikes against multiple Iranian targets, with the attacks largely focused on southern Iran. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting facilities and bases it says are used by the US military in several regional countries.

Early Monday, explosions were reported in several Iranian provinces, including the first reported strike on the northwestern city of Tabriz since the US launched its latest attacks against Iran last week.

The exchange of fire between the two countries comes despite a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding they signed in June to end their war and reach a lasting peace agreement.

Iran 'counting down the minutes to welcome' a US ground invasion: FM spokesperson Baghaei

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said in a press conference in Tehran on Monday that there are people in Iran’s leadership “counting down the minutes to welcome” US forces in any ground invasion.

He added the United States will face “consequences of any adventure” to seize Kharg Island in southern Iran, according to Al Jazeera.

Tehran pursues war and diplomacy based on its national interests, he said on Monday, after being asked whether the door to talks with the US was now closed.

“I reject the duality of either war or diplomacy. Diplomacy is a tool through which we pursue our national interests, just like war,” Esmaeil Baghaei said.

According to Al Jazeera, Baghaei repeated Tehran’s stance that “there is no ambiguity” in the text of the interim deal signed with the US.

“The text of the memorandum of understanding is a short text and has 14 clauses,” he told reporters in the Iranian capital.

“We had said from the very beginning that the responsibility for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz lies with Iran and this issue will be pursued in consultation with Oman and through dialogue with regional countries,” Baghaei added.

“The text is completely clear, and there is no excuse for America to break the treaty.”

Al Jazeera reported that Baghaei said messages from the United States have been shared with Tehran through intermediaries recently despite ongoing fighting.

“We have been informed by mediators, we have received messages – without going into details – but the main point is that the diplomatic apparatus has been active in recent days and ideas have been conveyed to us by certain mediators,” he said.

The responsibility for the recent escalation lies with the US, Baghaei added.

“We have repeatedly emphasised that we have no hostility towards the countries of the region, but we expect them to do their duty and not allow attacks on Iran from their territory... As long as these crimes continue our armed forces will respond to them.”

Iran attacks civil air navigation systems in Bahrain, CAA statement says

Iran attacked Bahrain's civil air navigation systems but operations were not affected, the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement to the state news agency.

Flights and air traffic transit through Bahrain are proceeding normally, the statement said.

South Korea urges citizens to leave the Middle East

Seoul’s foreign ministry advised short-term visitors to evacuate the Middle East immediately, according to Al Jazeera.

“Given that most Middle Eastern countries have been under a Level 3 Travel Advisory, which recommends that travellers leave unless necessary, since March, short-term visitors are advised to depart promptly unless they have compelling reasons to remain,” Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina said.

He also called for heightened vigilance to ensure the safety of Korean vessels operating in the Red Sea during recent tensions involving Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia.

Iran presses IAEA to condemn US attack on nuclear facility

Iran has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to denounce US air strikes on the Darkhovin nuclear plant, according to Al Jazeera.

“Iran expects the IAEA board of governors and the director general to clearly state their position on this matter in condemning the US crime,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at a news conference in Tehran.

He said the UN nuclear watchdog has previously made “political statements regarding nuclear issues”.

Baghaei condemned the attack, saying the Darkhovin site was used for peaceful purposes. The facility in southwestern Iran is still under construction.

Iran will end war with US when it has “the upper hand in the field”: FM Araghchi

Iran will end the war with the US when it has “the upper hand in the field”, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with state media on Monday, according to Al Jazeera.

Speaking to the IRNA news agency, Araghchi said the most critical decision in crisis management was identifying the precise moment to halt hostilities and begin negotiations.

“The end of the war is possible either through absolute military victory or through negotiations. The right time to negotiate is precisely when you have achieved a reliable field and strategic achievement on the military front," he said.

“You cannot take risks with the lives of the people and the fate of the entire country. Decisions must be made based on accurate and complete calculations.”

Araghchi said that politicians must constantly weigh whether continuing the war would increase gains or impose heavier human and national costs.

“Despite some losses, we emerged as a decisive international player in this war and demonstrated the strength of the system,” he said.

IRGC promises to ‘neutralise’ any US infiltration on Iranian soil ‘in an instant’

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said its ground forces rely on “up-to-date equipment, continuous training, and improved operational capacity” and are “at the highest level of readiness” against any US infiltration, according to Al Jazeera.

“The constant vigilance of the armed forces and their continuous readiness guarantee the country’s sustainable security, and this readiness is pursued with seriousness in all operational sectors,” an IRGC statement cited by Tasnim news agency said.

Brigadier-General Ruhollah Nouri, the IRGC’s deputy ground forces commander, said Iranian forces are prepared to “neutralise any enemy incursion immediately”.

Ship ablaze in Strait of Hormuz after attack; crew rescued

A vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile on Monday, according to Al Jazeera.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, “The crew safely abandoned the vessel and have been recovered by a tugboat.”

The attack occurred 8 nautical miles (15km) northwest of Kumzar, Oman.

“The fire has not been extinguished, and the vessel is currently adrift,” it said in a statement. “Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO while authorities investigate.”

1 killed, several injured in US attack on northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz

One person was killed and several others injured after the US army attacked a military area southwest of Tabriz in northwestern Iran, Mehr News Agency reported Monday.

The crisis management department of Iran's East Azerbaijan province said the explosion heard in the city was linked to the attack on the military site.

As a result, one person was killed, and a number of others were injured in the attack, it added.

This comes after the US informed Israel that it plans to intensify its military campaign against Iran over the coming days, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN said on Sunday.

Multiple locations struck in Bushehr; scale under investigation: Iran media

Several sites in the Iranian city of Bushehr, southwestern Iran, were attacked on Monday morning, the city’s governor said, while a loud explosion was also heard in Isfahan, central Iran, Mehr News Agency reported.

The Bushehr governor said the extent of the attacks was still under investigation.

Separately, Mehr reported an explosion was heard in the city of Isfahan, but the exact cause and source had not yet been determined.

Bahrain activates alarms, urges public to move to safe areas

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry on Monday said alarm sirens were activated, urging citizens to remain calm and head to the nearest safe location.

The ministry also called on the public to follow updates through official channels, according to the statement.

The alert came a few hours after Bahrain issued a similar warning earlier in the day.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Kuwait says air defenses responding to drone threats

Kuwait’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said on Monday that the country’s air defenses were responding to “hostile” drone threats.

The army said any explosions heard by the public were the result of air defense systems intercepting targets.

This comes just a few hours after the Interior Ministry announced the activation of warning sirens and urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

IRGC claims ‘US military facilities’ hit at Kuwait airbase

Iran’s IRGC said it targeted “US military facilities” at the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait in the latest wave of its operations, according to Al Jazeera.

The IRGC claimed a drone attack destroyed an early-warning radar system and that separate strikes hit an aviation equipment warehouse and a hangar housing US MQ-9 drones, setting several aircraft on fire, according to a statement carried by the IRIB broadcaster.

US informs Israel of plans to intensify attacks on Iran

The United States has informed Israel that it plans to intensify its military campaign against Iran over the coming days, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported on Sunday.

Citing unnamed Israeli and US security sources, KAN said Washington has told Tel Aviv that it prefers to keep Israel out of the current phase of the escalation, despite discussions over possible scenarios involving Iranian retaliation against Israel.

According to the report, assessments shared during strategic consultations between the two allies indicate that Iran could launch attacks on Israel, potentially triggering an Israeli strike inside Iran, a scenario that Washington is seeking to avoid for now.

KAN also said the US has strengthened its military presence in the region, sending additional equipment and munitions to Israel over the past 24 hours to support American warplanes.

More than 10 US aerial refuelling aircraft have arrived in Israel from Europe and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as part of preparations for possible Iranian attacks on American interests in the region, it added.

Separately, the Israeli news website Walla quoted an unnamed Israeli Air Force source as saying that the US military plans to deploy 100 aerial refuelling aircraft to Israeli military bases and Ramon Airport in southern Israel.

The source said any further escalation in US attacks on Iran would require additional American refuelling aircraft to be stationed in Israel.

Walla added that some of the aircraft could also operate from Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, noting that 14 additional US refuelling aircraft had already arrived in Israel over the weekend.

Water, electricity, gas networks stable in quake area near Iran’s Kuzaran

As we reported earlier, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake has struck near Kuzaran in the western Kermanshah province.

The country’s state media reported that relief, service and law enforcement teams had been dispatched to the earthquake-stricken area.

A spokesperson for the crisis management authority was quoted by state broadcaster IRIB as saying that the water, electricity and gas networks were stable, and relevant teams were further assessing conditions in the area.

US strikes Iran for ninth day; Iran says two oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz exploded and immobilised

US forces hit Iran for a ninth consecutive day on Monday as concerns grew over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said two oil tankers had exploded and been immobilised.

In a statement, US Central Command said it had begun "a new wave of strikes" aimed at "degrading" Iran's ability to attack commercial vessels in the strait's vital shipping lanes. It gave no further details.

The strikes are part of an escalating cycle of attacks between the US and Iran after an interim ceasefire agreement signed a month ago unravelled, deepening a struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz that has disrupted energy supplies and stoked fears of global inflation.

Iran's Tasnim news agency said US missiles struck several Iranian cities early on Monday.

Explosions were heard in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini, according to Tasnim.

Read: Iran decries US 'terrorist' strike on nuclear power plant, warns of devastating response

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would continue to target Iran while it attacked global commercial shipping.

"The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterways, and they continue to launch against the ships in that international waterway," Rubio said.

“As long as Iran insists on controlling an international waterway, we're gonna have to respond to that. The United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution.”

Iran says attacked US bases, oil tankers damaged

For its part, the IRGC announced a surprise strike against "the enemy's special operations headquarters in Syria's Al-Tanf area."

The Revolutionary Guards also said they targeted US aircraft at Jordan's Aqaba airport with ballistic missiles.

📹 تصاویر ماهواره‌ای از وارد شدن خسارات متعدد به پایگاه ارتش آمریکا در اردن

بر اساس تصاویر ماهواره‌ای ثبت‌شده در روز گذشته، در این حملات دست‌کم دو آشیانه هواپیما (هنگر) آسیب دیده، یک نقطه اصابت بزرگ در محدوده محل اسکان نیروها مشاهده می‌شود و چندین پناهگاه نیز تخریب شده‌اند pic.twitter.com/DNfCLTMG55

— اخبار فوری جنگ (@WarNewsIr) July 20, 2026

Iran earlier conducted a drone attack on US military assets and equipment at Kuwait's Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Iranian state TV reported early on Sunday.

Kuwait's government said a desalination plant was attacked for the second day running, causing a fire, in what it called a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure.

Concerns about the flow of energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz have persisted since the United States and Iran resumed open hostilities after accusing each other of repeatedly violating a ceasefire deal.

Read more: Two US service members killed, one missing after Iranian strikes in Jordan

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said late Sunday that it received a report that a vessel was on fire not far from the Omani coast, although it had not verified a cause.

The Revolutionary Guards said on Monday that two oil tankers had exploded and been immobilised after attempting to transit what it described as an unsafe southern route through Hormuz, alleging the vessels had been encouraged by the US military to use the passage.

Reuters could not immediately verify the incident.

The statement gave no details on the vessels' names, flags, crews or any casualties.

The Guards said the waterway would remain unsafe as long as what it called US "aggression" in the region continued, warning that "this passage will not be safe for the transit of petrochemical products, nor even a single drop of oil and gas."

Four vessels made the transit through Hormuz on Sunday, down from eight the previous day, LSEG data showed. At least three oil products' tankers and one Very Large Crude Carrier have entered the strait since Friday to load oil, the data showed.

Oil prices rose 2% to more than $90 a barrel on Monday.

In the latest American casualty reported in the war, the US military said on Sunday that a service member was killed on Saturday in northern Iraq, where the US has military bases, during a controlled detonation of what Central Command called unexploded ordnance on a downed Iranian attack drone.

The US military said earlier that two service personnel died in Jordan and that a third was missing in action. On Sunday, Central Command said that "unidentified remains" had been found at the site of Friday's attack and that "an examination process to verify the remains is ongoing."

The latest casualty announcements brought the total number of US military personnel killed since the war began to 17, with more than 420 others wounded.

The conflict, which began when the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, seeking to disable Tehran's nuclear and missile programs and weaken its regional proxies, has killed thousands of people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon.