The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday that two American soldiers were killed and a third went missing on Friday in Jordan, while repelling Iranian attacks with ballistic missiles and drones.
“Yesterday, Friday, two U.S. service members were killed in action in Jordan as Central Command and partner forces responded to Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks, and one service member remains missing,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
She noted the “medical evacuation of four American military personnel to hospitals in Jordan.”
She confirmed that they “later left the hospitals after receiving treatment, and other individuals who were assessed for minor injuries have returned to their duties.”
CENTCOM added that it would withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen service members, out of respect for their families, until 24 hours have passed since their relatives were officially notified.
On Friday, the Jordanian Armed Forces announced that air defense systems intercepted and shot down three Iranian missiles that entered the Kingdom’s airspace and were heading towards its territory, according to the official news agency Petra.
These developments come amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, with the United States launching strikes on sites inside Iran in recent days, while Tehran responds by targeting what it describes as American targets in the region.
On June 18, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding that included a ceasefire, and began negotiations mediated by Pakistan and Qatar to end the confrontations that began following US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
But US President Donald Trump announced on July 8 that the ceasefire had ended after renewed escalation, following Tehran’s targeting of three ships as they crossed the Strait of Hormuz, claiming they had not adhered to the designated shipping route, before Washington responded with strikes inside Iran.
The United States supports the passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz via a route not approved by Tehran, which insists it will target any ship that does not coordinate with it before crossing this vital waterway for global energy supplies.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi denied on Friday the existence of American bases in the kingdom, in response to Iranian claims, stressing that there is no justification for targeting Jordan or the Gulf states.
