Two US Troops Killed, One Missing in First Direct Iranian Attack to Cause American Deaths

Two US troops were killed while defending against an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack in Jordan

Two US service members were killed and one remains missing after an Iranian missile and drone attack, marking the first time American troops have died in a direct Iranian assault since the Iran war began.

US Central Command said on July 18 that the troops were killed on July 17 while US and allied forces were defending against an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack in Jordan. One additional service member remains missing.

Central Command did not identify the exact location. The attack is believed to have targeted a US air base in Jordan. DPA reported that a major US military base in Jordan is in Azraq, about 100 kilometers northeast of the capital, Amman.

The US had carried out airstrikes for seven straight days through July 17 on Iranian military facilities around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by attacking US bases in other Middle Eastern countries allied with Washington, including Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

It was the first time since the war broke out in February that US troops had been killed in a direct attack by Iranian forces. The Associated Press reported that 16 US service members had been killed and more than 430 wounded since the war began on Feb. 28.

It was also the first US combat death since a ceasefire collapsed after a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran expired. That agreement ended after Iranian forces attacked civilian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on July 7. Fighting between the two sides has intensified since then.

The deaths could increase pressure on President Donald Trump, who has ordered airstrikes on Iran, as anti-war sentiment remains strong in the US. They also point to the possibility that Trump will escalate the US air campaign against Iran in retaliation for the troop deaths after seven consecutive days of strikes through July 17.

Central Command said four other US troops were taken to hospitals in Jordan and later released. Other soldiers found to have minor injuries have already returned to duty. The command said it would withhold additional information, including the identities of the dead, until 24 hours after their families have been notified out of respect for next of kin.

Park Su-bin, Hankyung.com reporter waterbean@hankyung.com