US forces launched attacks on Iran for the ninth consecutive day on Monday, as the confirmed death toll of US military personnel in the renewed fighting rose to three, and concerns grew over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that it had begun a 'new wave of strikes' aimed at 'undermining' Iran's ability to attack commercial ships in the vital waterways of the strait.

CENTCOM stated that the US military targeted Iranian coastal surveillance and military air defense facilities.

The statement added that the strikes targeted Iranian military command centers, air defense sites, coastal surveillance, naval capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communication networks.

Meanwhile, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that US missiles struck several Iranian cities early Monday.

The agency reported that explosions were heard in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr, and Bandar Imam Khomeini.

US casualties

In the latest report on US losses in this war, the US military said one service member died Saturday in northern Iraq, where US bases are located, during a controlled detonation of what CENTCOM described as 'unexploded ordnance' on a downed Iranian attack drone.

Earlier this week, the US military announced the deaths of two service members in Jordan and a third missing in action.

On Sunday, CENTCOM said in a statement that 'unidentified remains' were found at the site of Friday's attack, and that 'the identification process is ongoing to verify them'.

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This brings the total number of US troops killed since the start of the war to 17, along with more than 420 others wounded.

Monday's strikes followed CENTCOM's announcement that its eighth consecutive wave of attacks targeted Iranian coastal surveillance and military air defense facilities.

The US and Iran have intensified attacks as the temporary ceasefire agreement signed last month collapsed, and the conflict over control of the Strait of Hormuz escalated, increasing the risk of a return to full-scale hostilities.

Trump told reporters after returning from attending the World Cup final: 'We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did it in honor of the US military personnel who have been killed since Friday.'