Iranian commander offers $30,000 bounty for US soldiers

Iranian army commander-in-chief Amir Hatami has announced a bounty of $30,000 (over Rs 28 lakh) for any Iranian who captures or kills an American soldier. According to the Tasnim news agency, Hatami made the announcement during a speech in Tehran on Sunday, August 16. He said the reward, equivalent to about 5 billion tomans, would be given by the Iranian people.

The statement comes amid stalled peace talks and disrupted oil tanker movements through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Aaj Tak reports that there is no concrete sign of ending the conflict between the warring sides. Separately, the US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper visited the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea during a 10-day regional tour, while Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people, targeting two Hezbollah commanders, according to Israel.

The USS Lincoln, which arrived in the Middle East in January and has been involved in blockading Iranian ports, has set a record for staying at sea for over 240 continuous days. Reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues on the ship, which can carry over 5,000 sailors and Marines. Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation is in Cairo for Gaza ceasefire talks.