Iranian Missile and Drone Attack in Jordan Kills Two US Soldiers

Two United States military personnel have been killed following a ballistic missile and drone attack by Iran in Jordan, while another has been reported missing. The Pentagon confirmed the information on Saturday (18/7) local time, with US Central Command (CENTCOM) stating the incident occurred on Friday (17/7) as American and allied forces defended against the Iranian-launched ballistic missile and drone assault. “Two US service members were killed while US and allied forces defended against an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack,” CENTCOM said in a statement. Four other personnel were evacuated to a hospital in Jordan for medical treatment. No further details have been released regarding the identities of the victims or the specifics of the search operation for the missing person. The attack came as Iran threatened to continue “full-scale offensive operations” if the United States persists with waves of strikes against the country. The threat was made by a senior official of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohsen Rezaei, who also serves as a senior military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei. “If the US attacks continue for another two or three days, we will enter the phase of full-scale offensive operations,” Rezaei stressed in an interview cited by state broadcaster IRIB. “Iran will no longer limit itself to retaliatory actions, a proportionate response… No political boundary will be safe from Iran’s offensive power.” Rezaei added that the US should pay financial compensation for what Iranian officials describe as attacks on civilian infrastructure. Washington has denied deliberately targeting civilian facilities in Tehran. The statement came as the US launched strikes for seven consecutive nights against Iranian targets, with Tehran retaliating by targeting Gulf states hosting Washington’s military assets. Rezaei also warned that Iran’s military response would extend beyond its borders if the conflict escalates further.