US military recovers remains of missing service member in Jordan; another soldier killed in Iraq
Washington DC/Florida [US], July 20: The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it has recovered unidentified remains believed to be those of a missing American service member following Iran’s July 17 missile and drone attack on the Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan. An examination is underway to confirm the identity.
CENTCOM had announced on Saturday that two US service members were killed and another was missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone strikes targeted US military assets at the Jordanian base. The troops were killed while American and partner forces were defending against the coordinated attack.
“On July 17, two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan while performing their duties during the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces’ defense against attacks launched by Iran using ballistic missiles and drones. In addition, one service member remains among the missing,” CENTCOM had said.
On Sunday, the command confirmed that US military personnel had located unidentified remains at the attack site. “After a thorough search, U.S. military personnel found unidentified remains at the location earlier today. An examination process to verify the remains is ongoing,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
Separately, CENTCOM reported that another US service member was killed in northern Iraq on July 18 during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone. A second service member was wounded and is receiving treatment for minor injuries.
The command said it is withholding the identities of the deceased and missing personnel until their families have been notified.
Four US service members injured during the Jordan attack were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan and have since been discharged, while other personnel treated for minor injuries have returned to duty.
Following the announcement of the deaths, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth paid tribute to the fallen troops, writing on X: “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.”
Iran had earlier said the strikes on Jordan formed part of the 14th phase of its “Operation Lightning,” targeting fuel storage facilities at Al-Azraq Air Base as well as US military installations in Jordan and Kuwait. According to the Iranian military, drone strikes also targeted an ammunition depot at Al-Udairi Camp, headquarters buildings and ammunition depots at Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, along with several communications bridges.
The attacks were described by Tehran as retaliation for continued US military operations against Iran, which have entered their seventh consecutive night.
CENTCOM also said American forces continue enforcing the naval blockade against Iran. As of July 19, the command said it had redirected six commercial vessels and disabled one vessel to ensure “full compliance.”
Meanwhile, fighting between the United States and Iran intensified further, with fresh military operations reported across West Asia. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it is investigating reports of an overnight strike on the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant in Iran’s Khuzestan province.
The UN nuclear watchdog said the facility was in the early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material during its last inspection. While the reported strike is not believed to pose a radiological risk, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi renewed his call for military restraint around nuclear-related facilities.
Iran later claimed the United States had carried out the strike on the Darkhovin plant. Iranian media also reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had shot down a US MQ-9 drone over Ahvaz and that fresh US airstrikes had hit Qeshm Island.
The United States confirmed another round of strikes against Iran, with CENTCOM saying it targeted Iranian coastal surveillance networks, air defence systems, maritime assets, and missile and drone storage facilities. The command also said it struck IRGC personnel responsible for attacks on American troops in Jordan, adding that the operations were intended to degrade Iran’s military capabilities and its ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. (ANI)
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