WASHINGTON (Realist English). US Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed the deaths of two service members and the disappearance of one more following an Iranian missile and drone attack on a military base in Jordan.
The incident occurred on July 17, when US forces, together with partners, were repelling a massive barrage of ballistic missiles and drones.
CENTCOM reported that four other US service members were evacuated to Jordanian hospitals but were released after receiving treatment. Other personnel with minor injuries have already returned to duty. The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of their families.
Chronology of the Attack: How Iran Breached Air Defenses
According to a US official who spoke to The New York Times on condition of anonymity, the military deaths were presumably caused by Iranian ballistic missiles. Several missiles were intercepted, but at least one penetrated the US and Jordanian air defense system.
In recent days, Iran has changed its tactics in attacking US targets in the region, combining medium-range missiles and kamikaze drones to overwhelm air defense systems. Jordanian military officials reported intercepting 10 Iranian missiles that entered the country’s airspace on the night of July 17–18.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have destroyed at least two US fighter jets at Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan. CENTCOM declined to comment on this claim.
Seventh Night of Escalation: Fragile Ceasefire Shattered
The attack on the Jordanian base came amid a seventh consecutive night of US airstrikes on Iran. President Donald Trump declared the temporary ceasefire “over” after the June agreement lasted less than a month.
Over the past week, the US has reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, while Tehran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed.
The conflict, which began on February 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has led to major disruptions in energy supplies and rising inflation expectations worldwide.
Casualties and Overall Damage
US Casualties
Since the start of the war, 16 US service members have been killed. More than 400 have been wounded. Previous losses include:
- 6 soldiers killed on March 1 in a strike on the Shuaiba port in Kuwait;
- one service member who died from wounds after an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia;
- 6 Air Force personnel killed in the crash of a KC-135 tanker aircraft in Iraq on March 12;
- a naval aviator who went missing on July 1 and was subsequently declared dead.
Iranian Casualties
According to Iran’s Health Ministry, at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in US strikes over the past three weeks.
Authorities in Hormozgan province reported that a US missile destroyed a desalination plant.
Reactions
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in a written statement, accused the US of “repeated violations” of the June agreement, saying this had “exposed a fundamental truth: the US president’s signature is absolutely worthless and devoid of any credibility.” He also warned that Iran and the “resistance front” had “unforgettable lessons” in store for Washington.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the fallen heroes and said: “Their sacrifice only strengthens our resolve.” President Trump has previously vowed repeatedly to retaliate for the deaths of American service members.
As The New York Times notes, following the deaths of two service members, new US retaliatory strikes are almost inevitable. The conflict, which was supposed to remain “limited,” increasingly resembles a full-scale war of attrition: Tehran is expanding the geography of its attacks, Washington is intensifying its bombing campaign, and the number of casualties and destruction is rising by the day.
