Two US service members were killed and one remains missing following a series of Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan on Friday, according to military officials. The incident has pushed the total US death toll in the ongoing conflict to 16, following the separate death of an American Navy pilot who was declared dead earlier this month. This marks the second increase in the official US death toll within a single week.
US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed that four other service members were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan but have since been discharged. Other personnel who sustained minor injuries have already returned to their duties. While the military has not disclosed the identities of the deceased or the specific location of the attack, officials stated that they are withholding further information, including the identities of the fallen, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified. In response to the announcement, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X: "Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve."
In retaliation for the attack, the US launched a new round of air strikes against Iran on Saturday night under the direction of President Donald Trump. Centcom stated these strikes, which mark the eighth consecutive night of operations, are intended to "swiftly punish" the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and are "designed to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz." The escalation follows a week of renewed hostilities characterized by the collapse of a preliminary ceasefire less than a month after it began, alongside Washington reimposing its blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran declaring the Strait of Hormuz closed.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written statement late on Saturday, asserting that America's "repeated breaches" of the agreement had "laid bare a fundamental truth: the signature of the US president is utterly worthless and devoid of credibility." Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the war began, accused the US of seeking to "escalate the conflict" and warned that Iran had "unforgettable lessons in store for it."
Separately, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed through Iranian state media that it had destroyed at least two US fighter aircraft at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan early on Saturday. When contacted by the media regarding this specific claim, Centcom declined to provide further details. Meanwhile, Jordan's military reported that it had intercepted 10 Iranian missiles fired into its airspace overnight, though it reported no damage.
Amid the heightening regional tensions, the US Department of State issued a notice on Saturday advising Americans worldwide, particularly those in the Middle East, to exercise "increased caution." The travel notice urged those in the region to monitor news for breaking developments, adding that "due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation."
