3 U.S. Troops Killed in 3 Days as Iran Strikes Jordan and Iraq; Trump Vows Revenge
Three American soldiers have been killed in the Middle East within three days as Iran escalates its attacks on U.S. forces in Jordan and Iraq. Two service members died in a drone strike on a Jordanian air base, and a third was killed in Iraq while disposing of an Iranian drone. Former President Donald Trump has promised that Iran will pay "many times over" for the deaths.
The first attack occurred late Friday when Iranian forces struck the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in northeastern Jordan, killing two U.S. service members and leaving one missing [199643]. The two soldiers were the first American military deaths since Iran broke a peace agreement with the Trump administration, according to officials [200517]. Former President Donald Trump responded by stating that Iran will "pay many times over" for the assault [200517].
Two days later, on Sunday, a U.S. service member died in northern Iraq during a "controlled detonation" of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone [200120]. The U.S. Central Command confirmed the soldier was killed while troops conducted a routine disposal of the unmanned aerial vehicle [200176]. Another American soldier was killed and one was wounded in a separate attack in Iraq linked to Iranian-backed forces, according to the Pentagon [200390].
In response to the escalating violence, the United States launched airstrikes on Iran for a tenth consecutive night, targeting positions in an ongoing battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipping [200649]. Iran's Revolutionary Guards also announced a "surprise attack" on an "enemy command center" in Syria early Monday, further escalating the conflict [200641].
Meanwhile, Qatar formally condemned the Iranian attacks on its territory, calling them a "flagrant violation" of its national sovereignty. In letters sent to the United Nations and the Security Council, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the strikes as a "serious and unacceptable escalation" that poses a direct threat to regional stability [200830]. Jordan also summoned Iran's top diplomat in Amman to protest Tehran's attacks on its territory [200120].