US military says two service members killed in Iranian strike in Jordan

The United States military says that two service members have been killed and four medically evacuated following an Iranian missile and drone attack in Jordan.

In a statement shared on Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, said that one service member remains missing following an Iranian strike on Friday.

“On July 17, two US service members in Jordan were killed in action as US Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, one service member is currently missing in action,” the statement reads.

“Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. They have since been discharged. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty.

“Out of respect for the families, CENTCOM will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified.”

The statement appears to be the first US confirmation of fatalities resulting from renewed Iranian strikes on US forces, following the breakdown of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that temporarily paused fighting between the US and Israel, and Iran.

Responding to the deaths of the two servicemembers, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that “their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve”.

CENTCOM later announced that it was launching retaliatory airstrikes against Iran at President Trump’s direction.

Democratic leaders offered their condolences but did not indicate that they would take any actions to pressure the Trump administration to cease attacks on Iran, despite growing alarm about the prospects of a return to war that would come at a steep price for civilians across the region.

“I’m heartbroken to learn of the deaths of 2 US service members in Jordan,” Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a social media post. “I’m praying for their families, and the families of all those missing and injured.”

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said that the incident shows that the war is slipping beyond the control of either country.

“For those of us who pay attention to the hour-to-hour pace of the Iran War, things are getting very dark very quickly. [Two] more Americans are dead,” Murphy said in a social media post. “The scale of attacks – and threats of escalation – are increasing rapidly. Trump has frighteningly lost control of this war.”

The US has struck Iranian civilian infrastructure in recent days, including bridges and desalination plants, and has threatened to step up such attacks.

“I do not see a clear and convincing strategy on the part of the Americans, other than try to out-escalate Iran, and as we saw in Vietnam, as we saw in Afghanistan and the second Iraq war, that led to grief on our side,” former senior US naval officer Harlan Ullman told Al Jazeera in a TV interview.

Ullman added that fighting risks “spiralling in the wrong direction and could potentially push the US to mount a dangerous land operation or attacking civilian infrastructure out of desperation”.

Iranian forces have also reportedly struck energy infrastructure and desalination facilities, a key source of water, in Gulf states that host US military forces.

Legal experts have said such attacks by both sides violate international law.

The head of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) slammed recent Iranian attacks on Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain as a “war crime” and “highly dangerous escalation”, saying that the strikes included the targeting of civilian infrastructure.

Neither side, however, appears to be interested in stepping back.

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei slammed US attacks in a statement shared on Saturday, saying that they proved that US President Donald Trump’s signature was “worthless and invalid”.