ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two US service members were killed and another remains missing in Jordan following Iranian missile and drone attacks across the region on Friday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday, adding that the personnel were killed “in action” while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone strikes.
“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. Additionally, one service member is currently missing in action,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
The statement comes amid renewed escalation between the US and Iran, which follows continued tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route, after Washington and Tehran traded attacks despite earlier efforts toward a ceasefire framework.
CENTCOM said early Saturday that it ended a seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iran late Friday. Iran's army said it targeted US military sites in Kuwait and Jordan in the 14th phase of its Operation Sa'eqa in response to US strikes on Iran.
In its Saturday statement, CENTCOM said four other American service members “were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals” but have since been discharged, adding that it would withhold further details, including the identities of the fallen service members.
Earlier on Saturday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that it had targeted two US bases in Kuwait, following earlier strikes that included targets in Jordan.
The US-Iran tensions have entered a new phase, with the US beginning to target multiple bridges and transportation infrastructure in southern Iran. The attacks have been concentrated in the port city of Bandar Abbas, in Hormozgan province, aiming to sever the strategic naval hub on the Strait of Hormuz from mainland supplies.
The renewed tensions come a month after the two foes signed a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the months-long war that began in late February.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday accused the US of violating the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, saying the alleged breach proved the “worthlessness and invalidity” of the US president’s signature and warning that Iran has “unforgettable lessons” for its “American enemy.”
"Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it," he said in a statement carried by the state broadcaster.
