Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Military, Amir Hatami. File
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Iran’s navy introduced on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that it was providing a bounty equal to $30,000 for killing or capturing U.S. troopers, with the reward doubled if carried out by a lady.
Aslo Learn: West Asia war updates on August 16
Military chief Amir Hatami mentioned the plan had been drawn up following a “massive variety of requests” to take part, in keeping with the IRNA state information company.
There was no recognized deployment of U.S. floor forces in Iran through the West Asia struggle, aside from a rescue mission in April for a downed American airman.
Mr. Hatami didn’t present any particulars on the place or when the killing or capturing of US troopers was anticipated to happen.
“Anybody who kills or captures and fingers over an invading American navy personnel will obtain a reward equal to $30,000 or 5 billion tomans from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Military,” Mr. Hatami mentioned, utilizing an off-the-cuff unit equal to 10,000 Iranian rials.
“Brave Iranian ladies who perform such an motion will obtain double the reward,” he added.
Mr. Hatami repeated Iran’s name for the U.S. to depart West Asia, and mentioned: “They not have permission to enter the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman or the Strait of Hormuz”.
The struggle between Tehran and Washington started on February 28 when the US and Israel attacked Iran.
Simply over a month into the struggle, the U.S. launched a large rescue operation to retrieve the weapon techniques officer of an F-15 jet, involving round 200 U.S. troops and greater than 170 plane racing to seek out the airman forward of Iranian forces.
In the course of the rescue, Iranian troops broken an A-10 floor assault plane, which was ditched over pleasant territory. The U.S. additionally reportedly deserted and destroyed plane used through the mission together with a C-130 transport airplane.
Days earlier than, the pilot of the F-15 was rescued by a helicopter crew in a smaller operation. The struggle was later paused by an April ceasefire after practically 40 days of combating, adopted by a June framework for peace talks that later collapsed.
Iran and the US have since traded hearth sporadically, with combating primarily centred in southern Iran and across the Strait of Hormuz.
Oblique contact between the 2 sides through mediators has continued with little signal of any diplomatic breakthrough. Iran has additionally set out a listing of calls for for reopening the strait, together with struggle damages.
The variety of U.S. navy personnel killed for the reason that begin of the struggle stands at 17, with the latest deaths in July. They’ve all been killed outdoors of Iran, in international locations together with Jordan and Iraq.
Printed – August 16, 2026 10:18 pm IST
