Shaharbeen Times Monitoring Desk
July 19: Two US service members were killed and another remains missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks targeted areas in Jordan, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Saturday, marking another major escalation in the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
CENTCOM said four American personnel were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan following the attack but have since been discharged, while others with minor injuries have returned to duty. The identities of the two fallen soldiers have not yet been released, pending notification of their families.
The latest casualties raise the US military death toll in the conflict to 16. Earlier this month, a US Navy pilot who had gone missing was officially declared dead.
In an official statement, CENTCOM said the troops were “killed in action” while US and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. It added that one service member is still unaccounted for.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth paid tribute to the fallen troops, writing on social media: “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had destroyed at least two US fighter aircraft at Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan during the overnight strikes. The US military has not confirmed the claim.
The attack comes amid renewed hostilities between Washington and Tehran after a preliminary ceasefire reached in June collapsed earlier this month. The conflict has intensified following the reimposition of US restrictions on Iranian ports and Tehran’s declaration that the Strait of Hormuz is closed.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, accused the United States of violating the ceasefire agreement and attempting to escalate the conflict. In a written statement, he said repeated US actions had demonstrated that “the signature of the US president is utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.”
Jordan’s military said it intercepted ten Iranian missiles that entered its airspace overnight, reporting no significant damage.
Amid the deteriorating security situation, the US Department of State issued a global travel advisory urging Americans, particularly those in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution and closely monitor developments due to the possibility of further escalation.
According to Iranian health authorities, at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured in US strikes over the past three weeks. The broader conflict, which began in late February, has claimed thousands of lives across the Middle East, with Iran and Lebanon suffering the highest casualties.
The US military said Friday marked the seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iranian targets. While Washington maintains that only military installations have been targeted, Iran has accused the US of hitting civilian infrastructure, including bridges, a railway station and an airport. Independent verification has confirmed damage to at least one bridge in Iran’s Hormozgan province.
