US-Iran tension escalates: 17 US soldiers killed, tanker catches fire in the Strait of Hormuz

Tensions are rapidly rising in the region as the US continues its attacks on Iran for the ninth consecutive night. According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a fire broke out on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, turning the vessel into a ball of flames. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran announced that two oil tankers on a southern route were struck and rendered unusable.

While Kuwait conducted air defense operations against "enemy drones" originating from Iran throughout the night, siren sounds also rose in Manama, the capital of Bahrain. The US is preparing to expand its military operations by deploying F-16 and F-35 fighter jets and aircraft fuel tanks from bases in the US, Germany, and the UK to the region. A senior US official stated that the Washington administration is preparing for a comprehensive war.

On the other hand, the US military confirmed the death of another soldier who died during the clearance of unexploded ordnance from an Iranian-made drone in northern Iraq. Thus, the known total number of US soldiers who lost their lives in the Iran war has reached 17. However, officials emphasized that the US's depleting ammunition stocks limit the expansion of operations and that available resources would not be sufficient for a prolonged conflict.