The US military has reported that two US service personnel were killed and another is missing in Jordan during defensive operations against Iranian ballistic missiles.
Four others were injured and evacuated to hospitals in Jordan, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on 18 July on social media. Two of them have already been discharged from hospital, whilst several others, after being examined for minor injuries, have returned to their duties, CENTCOM added.
“On 17 July, two US service personnel in Jordan were killed in action whilst US Central Command… Partner forces were repelling attacks by Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. In addition, one service member is currently listed as missing,” CENTCOM reported.
The statement did not specify in which part of Jordan the attack took place.
Following these deaths, the total number of known fatalities among US service personnel since the start of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February has risen to 15.
These military personnel were killed against the backdrop of statements by Iranian officials that the interim agreement between Washington and Tehran had been suspended following the recent wave of US strikes on Iranian targets.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the strikes were in response to Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran is attempting to control – a move which, according to Washington, constitutes a breach of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by both sides.
Meanwhile, in a statement attributed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on 18 July, the US is sharply criticised for allegedly having repeatedly violated the MOU.
Khamenei has not appeared in public since 28 February, when his father – the previous Supreme Leader – was killed and he himself was seriously injured as a result of US and Israeli air strikes.
On 18 July, Iranian officials stated that the Memorandum of Understanding, which was intended to give the parties 60 days to sign an agreement on a definitive end to the war, had effectively been ‘suspended’.
“Unfortunately, the Americans have, through their aggressive measures, breached their obligations under the Islamabad Declaration of Intent,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi in a television interview.