Key takeaways:
- Two U.S. service members were killed in action on July 17 while U.S. and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan.
- One U.S. service member remains missing, and four others who were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals have been discharged.
- CENTCOM said it will withhold the identities of the two service members killed until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.
Two U.S. service members were killed and one remained missing after U.S. and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan, U.S. Central Command said Saturday.
The troops were killed in action on July 17, CENTCOM said. The command did not specify where in Jordan the attack occurred or provide additional details about the circumstances.
“On July 17, two US service members in Jordan were killed in action as US Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, one service member is currently missing in action,” CENTCOM said in a statement cited by Al Jazeera.
Four other American service members were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan and have since been discharged, CENTCOM said. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty.
“Out of respect for the families, CENTCOM will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified,” the command said.
Jordan’s military earlier said it had intercepted 10 Iranian missiles fired into its airspace overnight, without reporting any damage, the BBC reported.
The deaths come amid renewed U.S.-Iran fighting after a temporary pause in hostilities broke down. Al Jazeera reported that CENTCOM’s statement appeared to be the first U.S. confirmation of casualties from renewed Iranian strikes on U.S. forces following the breakdown of a memorandum of understanding that had temporarily paused fighting between the U.S. and Israel, and Iran.
The BBC reported that the U.S. military said it had carried out the seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iran since President Donald Trump declared their temporary ceasefire agreement “over.” The BBC also reported that the latest deaths came after a U.S. Navy pilot who went missing earlier this month was declared dead, bringing the American death toll in the ongoing war with Iran to 14.
Al Jazeera reported that the U.S. and Iran have stepped up attacks in the last week, prompting alarm about a return to full-scale war across the region. The outlet reported that the U.S. has struck Iranian civilian infrastructure, including bridges and desalination plants, while Iranian forces have reportedly struck energy infrastructure and desalination facilities in Gulf states that host U.S. military forces.
Legal experts have said such attacks by both sides violate international law, according to Al Jazeera. The head of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned recent Iranian attacks on Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain as a “war crime” and “highly dangerous escalation,” saying the strikes included the targeting of civilian infrastructure, Al Jazeera reported.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei criticized U.S. attacks in a statement Saturday, saying they proved that Trump’s signature was “worthless and invalid,” according to Al Jazeera.
Be First to Comment