The United States continued its airstrikes against Iran for the 10th consecutive day on July 20 (local time), while Iran has escalated its offensive by declaring a state of total war.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees operations in the Middle East, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it had completed additional strikes against Iran at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 20.

CENTCOM added, "U.S. forces struck Iranian military command centers, naval assets, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking merchant vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz."

The command stated that merchant shipping continues through the Strait of Hormuz, adding, "U.S. forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for its unlawful attacks on civilian vessels seeking free and open passage through the strait."

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, that "every time Iran kills a U.S. soldier, they will pay a multiple of that price," expressing his resolve to retaliate strongly for the deaths of U.S. service members.

The recent collapse of the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has led to a series of U.S. military casualties.

On July 17, two U.S. soldiers stationed at an air base in Jordan were killed in an Iranian missile and drone attack, and on July 18, another U.S. soldier died while controlling and detonating unexploded Iranian drone ordnance in Iraq.

This brings the total number of U.S. military deaths in the conflict with Iran, which began in late February, to 17.

In response to the U.S. strikes, Iran, which has launched attacks on Middle Eastern nations including Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, and Syria, has declared total war.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized at a supreme judicial council meeting in Tehran on July 20, "It is a reality that Iran is currently engaged in a total war," adding, "The current war is not one fought solely with missiles."

He continued, "The enemies have reached the conclusion that military strikes alone cannot force the Iranian people to surrender," and added, "We will fight to the end to defend the nation's interests."

On the morning of July 21, the Iranian military targeted a U.S. base in Kuwait with missiles.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, citing the Iranian military's public relations office, reported that "the army's ground forces used surface-to-surface missiles to strike the U.S. military's High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait."

Furthermore, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on July 21 that it had targeted infrastructure facilities of the U.S. company Amazon in Bahrain.

There has been no official confirmation from Bahraini authorities regarding this claim.

The pro-Iranian Houthi rebels in Yemen declared a naval blockade on July 21 against Saudi Arabia, a pro-U.S. oil-producing nation.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree stated, "In accordance with the 'eye for an eye' principle, we declare a naval blockade against the criminal state of the Saudi enemies, effective immediately."

The area the Houthis intend to blockade is the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea and through which more than 3% of global crude oil shipments pass.

With the Strait of Hormuz, which handles 20% of global energy traffic, already closed, the Houthi blockade declaration has increased the likelihood that transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an alternative export route, will also become difficult.

In the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has decreased since the U.S. and Iran resumed hostilities, reports of ship attacks have been emerging one after another.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on July 21 that an oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman.

Authorities are investigating the incident, which occurred approximately 15 km northeast of Lima, Oman.

The IRGC stated in a release on July 21 that two oil tankers experienced explosions and fires while attempting to pass through the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz.

They added that the strait would remain closed as long as U.S. military actions in the region continue.

The IRGC had also claimed the previous day that two oil tankers were hit by explosions while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on the night of July 19.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the two vessels mentioned as having exploded on July 21 are the same as those mentioned in the previous day's statement.

While continuing their armed conflict, the U.S. and Iran are also attempting to engage in dialogue through backchannel diplomatic channels.

AFP reported, citing sources, that Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, on July 21 to hold talks with Pakistani officials.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei had also disclosed Minister Momeni's plans to visit Pakistan.

However, he drew a line, stating that the focus of this visit is on bilateral issues.

Spokesperson Baghaei also confirmed diplomatic contacts, saying, "It is true that diplomatic authorities have been active in recent days."

He stated that they had received proposals from mediating countries, including Qatar, to de-escalate tensions with the U.S.

Reuters also reported, citing an anonymous senior Iranian official, that mediators had delivered a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire between Iran and the U.S.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)