Two United States soldiers have been killed in Jordan following Iranian missile and drone strikes, marking the first American military deaths in the Iran conflict since March as hostilities between both countries continue to intensify.
“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 social media post.
The US Central Command also confirmed that four other American service members were flown to hospitals in Jordan for medical treatment but have since been discharged. It added that several others sustained minor injuries and have returned to active duty.
CENTCOM said it will withhold the identities of the fallen soldiers until 24 hours after their next of kin are notified.
The White House has yet to issue an official response after being contacted over the deaths.
The latest deaths raise the number of US service members killed since the conflict began nearly five months ago to 15.
On March 1, six US Army Reserve soldiers lost their lives after an Iranian strike hit a temporary operations centre at Kuwait’s Shuaiba port.
A few days later, an Army sergeant died from injuries sustained during an attack in Saudi Arabia.
The previous US military deaths were recorded on March 12 when six service members were killed after a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq. Authorities said the crash was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”
The latest attack comes as the already fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States has effectively broken down, with both countries exchanging fresh attacks in recent days. US strikes have been followed by repeated waves of Iranian drones and ballistic missiles targeting an expanding list of locations, including countries hosting American military bases.
Earlier on Saturday, Iranian authorities announced that 12 more people had been killed within the past 24 hours, pushing the country’s death toll in the latest phase of the conflict to 50. A deputy governor in Hormozgan province also said a US missile strike destroyed a water desalination plant, although the US military has not responded to the allegation.
Cc: (CNN)