Two U.S. troops were killed in the Jordan attack after Iranian ballistic missile and drone fire, as Washington and Tehran traded fresh blows.
Two U.S. troops were killed in the Jordan strike after Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks hit the area on Friday, according to military officials. One service member is still missing, while U.S. Central Command said four others were taken to hospitals in Jordan and later discharged.
Centcom did not release the names of those killed or give details about exactly where the incident happened. It said other service members with minor injuries were able to return to duty. In a later statement, the command said the deaths occurred as U.S. forces and partner troops defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks, and it said more information would be held back until family members were notified.
The latest deaths lifted the U.S. toll in the conflict to 16 after an American Navy pilot who went missing earlier this month was declared dead. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded on X, writing, “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later claimed, through state media, that it had destroyed at least two U.S. fighter aircraft early Saturday at Al-Azraq base in Jordan. Centcom did not add any details on that claim when asked by the BBC.
The attack came during a sharp new rise in hostilities between the United States and Iran. Washington reimposed its blockade of Iranian ports this week, while Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed after a preliminary ceasefire collapsed less than a month after it began. Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written statement that the U.S. had broken the agreement and accused Washington of trying to widen the conflict.
Jordan’s military said it intercepted 10 Iranian missiles fired into its airspace overnight and reported no damage. Separately, the U.S. State Department told Americans worldwide, especially those in the Middle East, to use increased caution and to monitor breaking news because the security situation remains unstable. The Gulf Cooperation Council also accused Tehran of targeting civilian infrastructure, while Kuwait said a power plant and a water distillation plant were hit after Iran said it had responded to U.S. strikes by targeting American Gulf allies. The Jordan strike shows how quickly this war can put American troops, regional stability, and global shipping at risk.
