Two United States service members were killed and another was missing in Jordan after an Iranian attack, the U.S. military said on Saturday, as Washington and Tehran intensified hostilities following the collapse of a month-old interim ceasefire.
U.S. Central Command said the casualties occurred on Friday, bringing the total number of U.S. military personnel killed since the conflict began to 16, with more than 420 wounded, according to Reuters.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paid tribute to the fallen troops in a post on X, saying: “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.”
The latest casualties came as both sides exchanged fresh strikes for a seventh consecutive night, raising fears that the conflict could spiral back into full-scale war.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, accused the United States of deliberately escalating the conflict after repeated U.S. airstrikes on bridges, power facilities and military infrastructure. In a statement carried by state media, Khamenei said President Donald Trump’s signature on the now-
defunct interim agreement was “utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.”
He warned that Washington would pay for “seeking to incite war,” saying Iran and its allied “Resistance Front” had “unforgettable lessons in store” for the United States.
Iran widened its military campaign on Saturday, launching attacks across the Gulf region.
Kuwait said it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles and drones during sustained attacks that injured firefighters and oil workers responding to strikes. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it struck Camp Arifjan, a major U.S. military support base, and destroyed a radar facility at Ali Al Salem Air Base. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation also reported significant damage to one of its oil facilities following repeated attacks.
Iranian media also reported strikes on Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base, where U.S. combat aircraft are stationed, and claimed Iranian missiles and drones destroyed at least two U.S. fighter jets and three other aircraft at Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan. Those claims have not been independently verified.
Saudi Arabia issued emergency alerts to residents in Al-Kharj and Yanbu early Saturday after what sources described as an Iranian missile attack — the first targeting the kingdom in more than three months. Iranian officials did not acknowledge any strike on Saudi territory.
Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out another round of airstrikes targeting Iranian surveillance systems, logistics hubs, underground weapons storage sites and maritime capabilities.
Iranian state television reported that U.S. strikes in Hormozgan province killed three people, wounded eight others and damaged two bridges and a road tunnel. Additional strikes later in the day caused further damage, though provincial authorities reported no civilian casualties.
Iran’s Health Ministry said U.S. attacks over the past three weeks have killed 50 people and injured more than 500.
The fighting has increasingly centered on the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass. Iran accused Washington of seeking control over the strategic waterway, while the United States said it was enforcing a naval blockade. Both sides have targeted shipping in and around the strait, heightening concerns over global energy supplies.
A maritime security advisory from United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations also reported an incident involving a merchant vessel and military forces off the coast of Oman, without providing further details.
Oil prices climbed more than 4% on Friday to their highest level in over a month as investors weighed the growing risk of disruption to Middle East energy exports.
