2 US troops killed, 1 missing after Iranian missile, drone attack in Jordan
AI Analysis
Two U.S. service members were killed and one remains missing following an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack on U.S. and partner forces in Jordan. Four additional troops were medically evacuated but have since been discharged, bringing the total U.S. casualties in the campaign against Iran to 16 killed and over 400 wounded since February 28.
Key Takeaways
- Two U.S. troops killed in action by Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack in Jordan
- One U.S. service member remains missing following the attack
- Four troops medically evacuated to Jordan hospitals, later discharged; others with minor injuries returned to duty
- Total U.S. fatalities in the Iran campaign now stand at 16, with over 400 wounded since Feb. 28
- Attack involved combined ballistic missile and drone strike, highlighting multi-domain threat complexity
- U.S. Central Command withholding identities pending next-of-kin notification
Why It Matters
This attack underscores the persistent and escalating threat posed by Iranian combined missile and drone strikes against U.S. forward-deployed forces, highlighting potential gaps in integrated air and missile defense. The continued casualty accumulation—now 16 killed and 400+ wounded—raises strategic questions about force protection posture and the effectiveness of current C-UAS and missile defense systems in the region.
Two U.S. service members were killed in action on Friday in an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack on U.S. and partner forces in Jordan, U.S. Central Command announced.
A third U.S. service member is missing, the command release added, while four more troops had to be medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan.
Those four service members have since been discharged, the command added.
“Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty,” the release stated.
U.S. Central Command is withholding the identities of the dead until 24 hours after the service members’ next of kin have been notified.
Additional information about the exact location of the attack had not been provided as of publication.
The casualties in Friday’s attack bring the toll of American troops killed in the war with Iran to 16.
Most recently, the commanding officer of the Navy’s Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5, Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, was killed on July 1 when the MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter he was aboard went down in the Arabian Sea. Three other sailors were rescued following the emergency landing.
More than 400 U.S. troops have been wounded in the campaign, which began Feb. 28.
J.D. Simkins is Editor-in-Chief of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.