Two US service members were killed and another remains missing following a series of Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan on Friday, according to military officials. The US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed the casualties in a statement released on Saturday, noting that the incident occurred as US forces and their partners worked to defend against the aerial assault.
Centcom reported that four other US service members were medically evacuated to hospitals within Jordan. These individuals have since been discharged, while others who sustained minor injuries have already returned to duty. Jordan's military separately stated that it had intercepted 10 Iranian missiles fired into its airspace during the overnight operation, though no damage was reported within the country.
The US military is currently in the seventh consecutive night of conducting strikes against Iran, a campaign that intensified after President Donald Trump declared that their temporary ceasefire agreement had ended. According to reports from Iranian state media citing the country's health ministry, at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured in US strikes over the past three weeks.
The conflict has seen a significant re-escalation in recent days. The US has reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports, and Tehran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed. In a statement issued late Saturday, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei claimed the US had committed repeated breaches of their agreement. He stated that these actions had exposed a fundamental truth, asserting that the signature of the US president is devoid of credibility. Khamenei has not appeared in public since the war began in February, following the death of his father.
The recent fatalities bring the total US death toll in the conflict to 16. This figure includes an American Navy pilot who went missing earlier this month and was recently declared dead, marking the second increase in the US casualty count this week. Out of respect for the families involved, Centcom stated it would withhold the identities of the fallen service members until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.
