At least three US soldiers were killed in Iranian attacks over the weekend.
A third American soldier in northern Iraq died after “a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance by a downed Iranian disposable attack drone.” CENTCOM said in a statement.
The first two were killed in an attack on a US air base in Jordan. After another soldier was reported missing at the base following the attack, remains were found but have not yet been identified.
Video of the precision missile attack in Jordan suggests there was little to no warning and shocked military personnel scrambled to find emergency shelters.
The missile and drone fire was the second time in two days that Iran managed a direct attack on the base. In total, four Iranian attacks on U.S. forces in Jordan within five days left several people injured, raising questions about whether missile defense systems either failed to intercept them or didn’t see them coming.
CENTCOM promised over the weekend: “punish quickly“Iran for attacks on Jordan.”
President Trump paid tribute to the fallen on Sunday.
“Well, we feel very bad,” he said.
“But, you know, these great people, these great patriots who are fighting there, that Iran must not have nuclear weapons,” he added, even though recent U.S. airstrikes focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz rather than dismantling Iran’s nuclear program.
The US military has sent more assets – such as aerial refueling planes – to the region, and the deaths of the first US troops in months appear to indicate that the US military response will escalate.
