Three U.S. service members lost their lives on Friday while bravely defending against an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack in Jordan. Tragically, another service member remains missing, as reported by U.S. Central Command on Saturday.
Central Command, known as CENTCOM, said the troops were killed in action as U.S. and partner forces responded to the attack. It did not specify where in Jordan the attack occurred or provide additional details about the circumstances.
Four other American service members were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan but have since been discharged, CENTCOM said. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty.
CENTCOM said it was withholding the identities of the two service members killed until 24 hours after their families have been notified.
The U.S. launched retaliatory airstrikes on Saturday at President Donald Trump’s direction, in order to “swiftly punish” Iranian forces for the attack, CENTCOM said in a statement.
CENTCOM said that the strikes were also intended to weaken Iran’s “ability to threaten commercial shipping” in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the latest move by the U.S. to pressure Tehran to give up its control of the critical trade route.
Late Saturday, CENTCOM said U.S. forces completed the eighth consecutive night of launching munitions against Iran, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces believed to have targeted U.S. service members in Jordan on Friday.
It said U.S. forces struck Iranian military surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime assets, and missile and drone storage sites.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Sunday that it was investigating reports of an overnight attack on the construction site of Iran’s planned Darkhovin nuclear power plant.
Iran’s semi-official news agency Tasnim said on Telegram overnight that its own forces had launched “massive drone attacks” on key U.S. military sites in Kuwait, and that its attacks would impact U.S. military support operations in the Middle East.
