Dozens of U.S. troops sustained injuries in three Iranian strikes on Jordan in the week preceding an attack that resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and left one missing. These strikes, which also damaged multiple U.S. helicopters, were not publicly disclosed by the Pentagon, according to officials who confirmed the events to The New York Times on Monday.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated last week that it was retaliating against Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz but did not mention the strikes on American troops in Jordan. Pentagon officials explained to the Times that many of the injuries were not severe and that disclosing details about the wounded could potentially aid Iran in planning further attacks on bases housing thousands of U.S. troops. CENTCOM is not obligated to release information regarding injured service members.
More than 400 troops have been injured in the conflict since the U.S. and Israel initiated strikes against Iran on February 28. The Pentagon has not provided an updated total of wounded in several weeks.
First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, were killed in an attack on an American air base in Jordan on Friday. This marked the first U.S. troop deaths in the conflict with Iran since March, bringing the total death toll to 17.
Central Command is also working to determine if remains found near the damaged Jordan base belong to a fourth service member who had been listed as missing. Separately, a third U.S. soldier was killed in northern Iraq on Saturday during the controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone. The Pentagon has not released the identity of this soldier.
President Donald Trump, speaking Sunday night at Joint Base Andrews, stated that the U.S. had "hit them very hard again" in a fresh barrage launched in response to the fallen soldiers. Iran retaliated on Monday morning, launching explosive-laden suicide drones at critical infrastructure in Kuwait, according to the Kuwaiti military.
Previously, Trump described the deaths of the two troops as "a very sad thing." He also indicated to NewsNation on Sunday that he "couldn’t care less" if Iran no longer adheres to the peace agreement signed last month.
The overnight bombardment targeted Iranian command centers, air defenses, naval assets, coastal surveillance posts, and missile, drone, and communications sites. The U.S. aims to impede Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for approximately one-fifth of global oil trade. The conflict resumed last week after the U.S. accused Iran of violating a Memorandum of Understanding by attacking oil tankers in the Persian Gulf.
The U.S. Navy has also responded to Iranian aggression by reimposing a blockade on all Iranian ports and seizing several of its ships. One American official familiar with the situation told The Washington Post that the U.S. is planning for a wider war and that the Pentagon was increasing the number of aircraft in the region. However, the official cautioned that the expanded operation might be constrained by dwindling U.S. stocks of air-defense and long-range weapons, as well as battle damage restricting the number of additional troops and warplanes that can be deployed to the region.