Iran announces US$30,000 bounty for killing or capturing American soldiers
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Iran's military has announced a bounty of US$30,000 for killing or capturing American soldiers, with the reward doubled to US$60,000 if carried out by a woman. Army chief Amir Hatami said the plan was drawn up following numerous requests to participate, according to the IRNA state news agency . The announcement comes amid ongoing tensions, with the war between Tehran and Washington having begun on February 28 when the United States and Israel attacked Iran . The declaration represents a significant escalation in the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Key Points
- Anyone who kills or captures and hands over an invading American military personnel will receive a reward equivalent to US$30,000 or 5 billion tomans from Iran's Army
- Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward, amounting to US$60,000
- Army chief Amir Hatami announced the bounty following a "large number of requests" from individuals wanting to participate
- No US ground forces have been deployed in Iran during the conflict, except for an April rescue mission to retrieve a downed American airman
- The April rescue operation involved approximately 200 US troops and more than 170 aircraft racing to locate the F-15 weapon systems officer
Why It Matters
The bounty announcement signals a dangerous escalation in the Middle East conflict, potentially encouraging civilian combatants to target military personnel and making the region far more volatile for international forces operating in the area . While US ground forces have not been deployed in Iran, the bounty creates a substantial financial incentive that could threaten American personnel throughout the region, particularly in strategic chokepoints like the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz that Hatami specifically mentioned Iran now claims jurisdiction over .
The bounty announcement signals a dangerous escalation in the Middle East conflict, potentially encouraging civilian combatants to target military personnel and making the region far more volatile for international forces operating in the area . While US ground forces have not been deployed in Iran, the bounty creates a substantial financial incentive that could threaten American personnel throughout the region, particularly in strategic chokepoints like the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz that Hatami specifically mentioned Iran now claims jurisdiction over .