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The United States is expanding its attacks on Iran after three U.S. soldiers were killed over the weekend, the first U.S. fatalities in the conflict since March. Two U.S. service members were killed in an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan, and a third soldier was killed in northern Iraq during a “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. The United States has now bombed Iran for nine consecutive nights, and Iran has retaliated by striking U.S. allies across the Persian Gulf. The war, which has led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has squeezed global supplies of oil and gas.

“The United States has considerable violence at its disposal, but it has limited political capacity to dictate terms,” says Toby Jones, associate professor of Middle East history at Rutgers University. Jones says that while the United States has tried to “inflict pain” on Iranian civilians in order to weaken the government, “it’s hard to say that it’s working.”

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: The U.S. is expanding its attacks on Iran after at least three soldiers were killed in the deadliest weekend for the United States since March. Two U.S. service members were killed in an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan. A third soldier was killed in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone. The U.S. identified the soldiers killed in Jordan as First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25 years old, of Hawaii and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19 years old, from Texas. A third soldier remains missing in action after the attack in Jordan.

The U.S. has now struck Iran for nine consecutive nights. Iran has retaliated by striking U.S. allies across the Gulf. Earlier today, Iran threatened to not allow a, quote, “single drop” of oil or gas to transit the Strait of Hormuz if U.S. aggression continues. This comes as Axios reports the U.S. is sending dozens of refueling planes to Israel ahead of expected increased military operations against Iran. According to Iranian authorities, at least 41 Iranians have been killed and 408 wounded in U.S. attacks so far this month.

US Bombs Iran’s Civilian Infrastructure as Trump Threatens Power Plants, Bridges

We’re joined now by Toby Jones, associate professor of Middle East history at Rutgers University, author of Desert Kingdom: How Oil and Water Forged Modern Saudi Arabia, as well as Running Dry: Essays on Energy, Water, and Environmental Crisis.

Toby Jones, if you can start off by commenting on these developments — the ninth straight night where the U.S. attacked Iran, Iran retaliating across the Gulf; the number of U.S. soldiers has increased, who were killed, to 17; another one is missing; and the targeting of civilian infrastructure? Take it all on, Professor Jones.

TOBY JONES: Good morning, Amy. Thank you.

We’re at a remarkable moment. I mean, we shouldn’t be surprised that the United States has escalated violence in the region. What’s been on display since February, when the war started, or at least the most recent round of what is a long war in Iran started, is that the United States has considerable violence at its........

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