Two US service members were killed and one remains missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks on a base in Jordan on Friday, marking the first American troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war. The attack came as Iran launched a fresh wave of strikes against US allies across the Gulf, hitting a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait – a country reliant on desalination for 90% of its drinking water – and forcing Bahrain to activate air sirens. Kuwait said several firefighters and a worker were injured while battling blazes sparked by Iranian strikes, and the country closed its airspace briefly. Jordan’s military intercepted 10 Iranian missiles overnight, reporting no damage. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it destroyed at least two US fighter aircraft on Al-Azraq base, though US Central Command declined to add further details.
Four US service members were evacuated to Jordanian hospitals and have since been discharged; others with minor injuries returned to duty. Central Command said it would withhold identities until 24 hours after next of kin were notified. “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve,” US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X. The deaths bring the total US personnel killed since war began to at least 16, with more than 430 wounded, according to the Daily Mail.
“Two US troops killed, one missing in Jordan after Iranian missile and drone strikes; death toll rises to 16.”
The attack unfolded hours after a statement attributed to Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei – unseen since the war began – warned of “unforgettable lessons” if US strikes continue and called President Donald Trump’s signature “worthless and invalid”. Trump had declared the temporary ceasefire “over” after talks stalled. US Central Command said it carried out a seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iran, targeting “surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities” while enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports. At least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured in US strikes over the past three weeks, Iranian state media reported. The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned Iran’s attacks on Kuwait as “war crimes”. With the Strait of Hormuz declared closed by Tehran and mediation efforts stalled, the prospect of de-escalation appears as remote as ever.
