US confirms first troop deaths in Iran conflict as Khamenei vows retaliation
Two US service members were killed and one missing in Jordan following an Iranian missile attack, marking the first direct Iranian-caused fatalities since the war began.
US Central Command confirmed on Saturday that two US service members were killed and one remains missing following an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack on a base in Jordan on Friday. The incident marks the first confirmed US fatalities resulting from direct Iranian fire since the commencement of the Iran war. Four other service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals and subsequently discharged. The identities of the deceased have not been released.
The attack occurred hours after Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, announced that Tehran was suspending its commitments to an interim ceasefire deal signed approximately one month ago. Gharibabadi cited US violations of the agreement, which was formalised through the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written statement, broadcast on state television, declaring President Donald Trump’s signature on the MoU "worthless and invalid" and vowing to teach the US "unforgettable lessons" if attacks continue.
Hostilities have intensified across the region, with both sides exchanging strikes on critical infrastructure. Iranian missiles struck a water desalination plant and an oil facility in Kuwait, causing fires and injuries. Kuwait briefly closed its airspace, and Kuwait Airways rescheduled most flights. The Gulf Cooperation Council secretary-general, Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, accused Iran of war crimes for targeting civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, US Central Command reported its seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iranian targets, including surveillance sites, logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities.
In response, US airstrikes damaged desalination plants and bridges in Iran’s Hormozgan province and near Bandar Abbas. Iranian state media reported that the Bonji desalination plant was destroyed, cutting off water supplies to approximately 10,000 people, and that a plant on Qeshm Island was damaged. Three bridges were hit on Saturday, disrupting highways to Bandar Abbas. Iran’s Energy Ministry acknowledged attacks on power infrastructure for the first time, issuing a call for reduced power usage in southern provinces.
The conflict has severely disrupted control over the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed to shipping traffic in late February. This has led to a US naval blockade on Iranian ports and significant disruptions to global energy supplies. The total US military death toll in the conflict has risen to 16, with over 430 wounded. Iranian authorities reported at least 50 killed and over 500 wounded in US strikes over the past three weeks.
