Iran offers $30,000 bounty to soldiers who capture or kill US troops

TEHRAN, Iran — The chief of Iran's army, Brigadier General Amir Hatami, announced on Sunday that Iranian soldiers who capture or kill a US service member will receive a $30,000 bounty. Speaking at a Journalists' Day ceremony, Hatami said the reward would be granted to soldiers who, with public assistance, apprehend or neutralize a US soldier. The announcement comes amid heightened military tensions between Iran and the United States in the region. US President Donald Trump had said the Strait of Hormuz is entirely under Washington's control, while Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters stated the waterway remains under Iranian control. The strait, which has seen the wreckage of past conflicts, remains a focal point as Tehran continues to assert its authority over the key shipping route. Both sides have exchanged pointed statements over control of the waterway, though neither offer was presented with evidence of an imminent operation. No further details were immediately available on how the bounty program would be administered or whether it extends beyond Iran's regular army forces.