Two US soldiers were killed and one went missing after Iran attacked Jordan
Two US service members were killed and one is missing after an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack in Jordan on Friday, military officials said.
The US Central Command (Centcom) said that four members of the US were rushed to Jordanian hospitals but have since been released. Some who had minor injuries returned to work.
US military officials did not identify who was killed, or provide details on the circumstances or location of the incident.
On Saturday night the US launched another air strike against Iran on the orders of President Donald Trump, Centcom said.
The strikes – the eighth night in a row – “are designed to further undermine Iran’s ability to threaten commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz”, the statement said.
The strikes are aimed at “immediately punishing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps soldiers who attacked members of the American military in Jordan last night,” the statement continued, without giving further details.
A week of renewed tensions followed in which Washington re-imposed its blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, as their initial suspension fell less than a month after it began.
Late on Saturday, Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written statement that “America’s repeated violations” of the agreement “exposed an important truth: the US president’s signature is completely empty and has no credibility”.
Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since the attack on his father at the start of the war, accused the US of seeking to “inflame the conflict” and said Iran had “unforgettable lessons.”
Earlier, the Jordanian military said it intercepted 10 Iranian missiles that were fired at its territory overnight, without reporting any damage.
The US death toll in the conflict has now risen to 16 after a US military pilot who went missing earlier this month was declared dead, marking the second toll this week.
In a statement on Saturday, Centcom said: “Two members of the US military in Jordan were killed in action as the US Central Command (Centcom) and its partners defended against Iranian ballistic and drone attacks. In addition, one member of the military is currently missing.
“Out of respect for the families, Centcom will withhold additional information, including the deceased heroes, until 24 hours after the next of kin has been notified.”
Responding to the death announcement, United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote of X: “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only strengthens our resolve.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it destroyed at least two American warplanes early Saturday in the Al-Azraq area of Jordan, according to Iranian state media.
The BBC contacted Centcom about the report but it declined to provide further details.
Separately on Saturday, the US State Department issued a notice advising Americans around the world, but especially in the Middle East, to exercise “extra vigilance”.
The travel advisory urged those in the region to “monitor the news for developments”, adding: “Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex and has the potential for unexpected escalation.”
