Two U.S. service members were killed and one remains missing after Iran struck American forces in Jordan, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday.
The command said the two troops were killed in action Friday while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks, and confirmed four other service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals and have since been discharged.
CENTCOM announced the casualties in a statement posted to social media Saturday afternoon.
“On July 17, two U.S. service members in Jordan were killed in action as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks,” the CENTCOM stated. “Additionally, one service member is currently missing in action.”
At least two Iranian ballistic missiles hit the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Axios reported. Footage circulating on social media showed the impact and heavy smoke over the installation. The deaths are the first American military fatalities in the war since March.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) responded to the news Saturday afternoon.
“Praying for the loved ones of these brave fallen American heroes, for the swift recovery of those injured, and for the safe return of the missing service member,” Johnson wrote. “May God bless our brave men and women in uniform.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also acknowledged the deaths, writing that the sacrifice “only stiffens our resolve.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei claimed the United States had committed “repeated breaches” of a memorandum of understanding signed last month, arguing in a post that the signature of the U.S. president was “utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.”
The deaths come as Washington and Tehran have traded strikes for the past week, with the mid-June ceasefire in shambles after Trump declared it “over” and reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
“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 CENTCOM statement noted.
UPDATE: U.S. forces began launching new airstrikes against Iran at 6 p.m. ET in retaliation for the attacks that killed two American service members in Jordan, CENTOM announced. The statement said the strikes were meant to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to “swiftly punish” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces behind the assault.
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