Iran's army has offered a reward of IRR50bn ($30,000) for killing or capturing US soldiers, doubled if carried out by a woman, army chief Amir Hatami said, IRNA reported on August 16.

The bounty marks an escalation in Tehran's rhetoric nearly six months into its war with the United States, aimed at an Iranian audience but also could be seen in neighbouring countries including Iraq and Kuwait where several hundred US troops are based. The hit would be the biggest escalation in recent days and potentially lead to US retaliation. 

Anyone who killed or captured and handed over an invading American serviceman would receive IRR50bn from the army, Hatami said. He said the plan followed a large number of requests from Iranians wanting to contribute to the war effort, without saying where or when such actions were expected to occur.

The sum is pitched to register with ordinary Iranians rather than to function as a budget line.

Hatami also threatened US bases in the region, saying they could not return to their pre-war status and that American forces had effectively been expelled from the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.

Local press amplified the announcement, with front pages framing an invasion to be resisted at the individual level, including the usually civilised Hamshahri newspaper.

The reward belongs to the same register as the Revolutionary Guards' claim in July to have struck 85 US military targets across the Gulf, a message aimed inward at an Iranian readership.

There was a limited number of US troops who landed in Iran before being removed from the country in April when they were allegedly attempting to return a downed American pilot.

The conflict began in February with US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, followed by an April ceasefire and a June peace framework that later collapsed.