Two US soldiers killed, one missing in Iranian attack on Jordan base

Two US soldiers killed, one missing in Iranian attack on Jordan base

Two US soldiers killed, one missing in Iranian attack on Jordan base

Iran launched a retaliatory attack using ballistic missiles and drones against Jordan’s Muwafak Salti Air Base, killing two U.S. soldiers and leaving one missing.

Iran attacked the Muwafak Salti air base in Jordan with ballistic missiles and drones on July 17, 2026, in retaliation for the recent US bombing campaign. It is known that a large US military force is stationed at this base.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a statement on July 18 that two U.S. soldiers were killed and one was missing in the attack. Several people were injured, including four who were taken to a Jordanian hospital, but are now returning to duty, CENTCOM said.

The airstrikes on the Jordan base followed a week of airstrikes between the United States and Iran. As of July 17, the U.S. military conducted airstrikes for seven consecutive nights, and Iran responded by attacking nearby countries such as Kuwait, Jordan, and Qatar.

Strike against Muwaffaq Salti air base

The attack on Muwaffaq Salti air base occurred on the night of 17–18 July. At least two missiles hit the base, according to open source reports.

NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) satellite reported the presence of two heat sources at the base around 2 a.m. local time. The area marked by FIRMS appears to be where employees’ accommodation is located.

The video, which appears to have been filmed in a residential area, shows the moment the missile impacts the ground.

There is currently no information on the extent of the damage, and damage to the base and casualties were first confirmed in a statement from CENTCOM on the afternoon of July 18.

As in previous cases, attacks on Jordanian bases are likely to trigger new attacks by the United States. As of this writing, there has yet to be any response or statement from US leadership.

US-Iran Exchange

In early July, while much of the U.S. aircraft force deployed to the Middle East was returning home, U.S. forces launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets, signaling a virtual breakdown in the fragile ceasefire.

As mentioned in the introduction, CENTCOM confirmed that the strike had been conducted for seven consecutive days. Targets included surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons caches, and maritime capabilities.

CENTCOM said the goal was to “further degrade Iran’s military capabilities,” specifically “degrade military capabilities used to threaten ships that freely transit the Strait of Hormuz.” Iran condemned this as an unprovoked attack.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that any country hosting US military bases implicated in attacks against Iran should expect a response. The IRGC also claimed that it only attacked military facilities.

However, Gulf countries reported that Iranian attacks hit civilian infrastructure, including water and electricity. Kuwait confirmed emergency workers and civilians were injured, while other countries reported blocking Iranian attacks.

Meanwhile, the United States is redeploying additional fighter jets to the region. These reportedly included aircraft from RAF Lakenheath in the UK and Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR