Iran war: Two US troops killed, one missing in Jordan
Two US service members were killed and one remains missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan on Friday, Centcom said. The Iran war deaths — the first from Iranian fire since March — pushed the US toll to 16. Washington answered with an eighth night of strikes aimed at Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
Key Takeaways
- Centcom said two US troops were killed in action in Jordan and one service member is missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.
- Four US personnel were medically evacuated and later discharged; others with minor injuries returned to duty.
- The US launched another round of overnight strikes to “swiftly punish” IRGC forces and degrade threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
- The US death toll in the conflict has risen to 16 after a Navy pilot missing earlier this month was also declared dead.
- A preliminary US-Iran ceasefire has collapsed, with Tehran suspending commitments and both sides trading strikes across the region.
What happened to US troops in Jordan?
According to US Central Command, two American service members in Jordan were killed in action as Centcom and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. One service member remains missing. Identities were withheld pending next-of-kin notification.
Four service members were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan and have since been discharged. Others with minor injuries returned to duty. Jordan’s military said it intercepted 10 Iranian missiles fired into its airspace overnight and reported no damage.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed via state media that it destroyed at least two US fighter aircraft early Saturday at Al-Azraq base in Jordan. The BBC said Centcom declined to add further details on that claim.
How did Washington respond after the deaths?
On Saturday night, the US launched another round of air strikes against Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction — the eighth night in a row, Centcom said. The command said the strikes were “designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz” and to “swiftly punish” IRGC forces who launched the Jordan attacks.
Centcom also said it hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites, and for the first time specifically named the Guard as a target, The Independent reported.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X: “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.” Trump told NewsNation the deaths were “a very sad thing,” adding, “We hate to see it happen. It’s in service to our country.”
Why does this matter for the Iran war?
The fatalities are the first US military deaths from Iranian fire since March and come after a week of renewed fighting. Washington reimposed a blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed after a preliminary ceasefire collapsed less than a month after it began. Trump declared the agreement “over” on 8 July.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written statement that America’s “repeated breaches” showed the US president’s signature is “utterly worthless.” Iranian authorities said at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in the latest US strikes. Since the wider conflict began on 28 February, thousands have been killed across the Middle East, official figures show.
The US State Department advised Americans worldwide — especially in the Middle East — to exercise “increased caution.” Follow more breaking coverage in our Streaming & TV Alerts section as the Iran war continues to reshape the region.