Two US military personnel have lost their lives, and one is missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone strikes, as confirmed by the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The fatalities occurred in Jordan yesterday, with the announcement made at 6.21pm BST today.
According to CENTCOM, “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 unaccounted for, while four others were evacuated to Jordanian hospitals for medical treatment and have since been discharged.
The identities of the deceased soldiers will be withheld until 24 hours after notifying their next of kin, out of respect for their families. Less than an hour before CENTCOM’s announcement, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, criticized President Trump’s actions, stating that the US President’s signature on the memorandum of understanding was “worthless.”
In response to the attacks, the US military conducted its seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iran, targeting surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities. CENTCOM emphasized that they are enforcing a naval blockade against Iranian ports at the direction of the Commander in Chief.
With these recent casualties, the total number of US military personnel killed since the conflict with Iran began has now reached at least 16.