Iran live updates: Pentagon releases names of 2 service members killed in Jordan

 Iran live updates: Pentagon releases names of 2 service members killed in Jordan

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Delegations from the U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June aimed at a war-ending deal based on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.

The U.S. and Iran have nonetheless continued to exchange strikes, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz the primary flashpoint.

Key Headlines

Rubio says 'growing split' in Iran interfering with diplomacy

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Iran is continuing to send messages "directly and through multiple channels with other countries," indicating it was willing to negotiate, and that the U.S. remains open to diplomacy -- but he noted that a "growing split" in Iran’s system complicates that.

"So, they’ll have to work out that split internally. We’re going to continue to respond," he said.

Rubio said the current military mission is solely focused on responding to Iran’s attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.

"The only reason why the U.S. is conducting strikes is against assets of Iran that are being used to attack global commercial shipping," Rubio said. "Other countries should join us in this effort, but the United States is involved not just in protecting those ships but in targeting the places that they use to launch these missiles and drones."

Rubio also spoke about the service members killed.

"The mission they carry out is very, very dangerous," he said. "Our hearts go out to the families of the heroes that paid the ultimate price."

-ABC News’ Shannon Kingston

Trump says US hit Iran 'hard' in honor of service members killed

President Donald Trump said the U.S. hit Iran "hard" in honor of the U.S. service members who were killed by Iran over the weekend.

U.S. Central Command said two service members were killed in an attack on Jordan on Friday, and that a third service member remained missing. Another service member was killed in Iraq on Saturday, CENTCOM said.

Trump said on Sunday the U.S. lost "great patriots," but said the mission of ending Iran's nuclear capabilities would carry on -- claiming that U.S. forces started another wave of attacks against Iran "in honor" of the service members lost.

"Well, we feel very badly, but you know those great people, those great patriots, were out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Iran has been very, very badly damaged," Trump told reporters after flying back from the World Cup final in New Jersey.

"We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did that in honor of the probably three -- It's probably three as opposed to two. Great patriots," Trump said.

-ABC News' Devin Garbitt and Isabella Murray

Iran ready to face the US, Ghalibaf says

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament and the leader of Tehran's peace talks delegation, said in a statement posted on social media on Monday that "Americans keep bringing new military equipment to the region and claim they're after stopping the war."

Iran, Ghalibaf added, is ready to face the U.S.

"We've reached the stage of mastery in recognizing these American games, and on that basis, we've prepared ourselves. Actions must confirm claims, not contradict them," he wrote.

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule

5:07 AM CST

Pentagon releases names of 2 service members killed in Jordan attack

The Pentagon on Monday identified two soldiers killed in Friday's Iranian missile and drone attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

Among them was Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, the Pentagon said. Gonzales was assigned to 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command, Ansbach, Germany.

UKMTO says ship on fire in Strait of Hormuz after attack

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported that a vessel was on fire in the southern route area of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning, near Oman's coast.

The vessel "was struck by an unknown projectile," the UKMTO said in its report. "The crew safely abandoned the vessel and have been recovered by a tug boat. The fire has not been extinguished and the vessel is currently adrift. There is no reported environmental impact."

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule

3:12 AM CST

US will 'face the consequences' of any Kharg Island operation, Iran official says

The U.S. will "face the consequences" if it launches any ground operation to seize Iran's Kharg Island, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, during his weekly press conference.

Asked about President Donald Trump's threats to seize the strategically-located island in the northern Persian Gulf, Baghaei said there are people in Iran who are "counting down the minutes to welcome" U.S. forces.

Baghaei told reporters that Iran's implementation of the memorandum of understanding with the U.S. "became practically impossible" as a result of the recent resumption in fighting.

Asked whether the MOU was now void, Baghaei said, "An understanding or agreement has value and validity as long as its parties adhere to their obligations; otherwise, it will be nothing more than a document on paper."