India, July 19 -- The United States launched a fresh round of strikes against Iran on Sunday, escalating the conflict after two American soldiers were killed in an Iranian missile and drone attack in Jordan, according to the US military.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes marked the eighth consecutive night of operations against Iranian targets and were intended to "swiftly punish" forces linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Washington blames for attacks on American personnel in the region.

President Donald Trump ordered the strikes, which CENTCOM said were designed to further reduce Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor.

Two US so...