US launches new air strikes to 'punish' Iran for overnight attack on American soldiers in Jordan

U.S. Central Command said Saturday evening that the U.S. military – at the request of President Trump – began launching new airstrikes against Iran as punishment for overnight attacks against American service members in Jordan.

CENTCOM said the attacks began at 6 p.m. ET, at the "Commander in Chief's "direction." The Defense Department's combat command unit also said the strikes were to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and "swiftly punish" Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched them.

The announcement came hours after CENTCOM announced that two American service members were killed in Jordan on Friday and one was still missing in action while they and "partner forces" were defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.