In a satellite image provided by Planet Labs PBC, of the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, in Al Azraq, Jordan, on Feb. 2, 2026. Iran struck a military base in Jordan on Friday, July 17, killing two US service members, according to the US military. Sixteen military personnel have died in the war since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February. [Planet Labs PBC via The New York Times]
The Iranian attack that killed two US soldiers and left one service member missing Friday was the fourth in five days on US forces in Jordan, multiple US officials said. Taken together, the attacks have wounded dozens of US service members and damaged a number of helicopters.
The flurry of attacks and the losses they have caused are a sign that Iranian forces not only still have ample missile stocks but have also become more adept at evading US air defense systems, said the US officials, who were speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.
Jordan, which hosts major US air bases, grew in importance in the run-up to and the early days of the war, as the Pentagon shifted a number of troops from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to relatively more secure locations in Jordan and Israel. The country’s role in US operations has only increased as other US allies in the region have restricted Washington’s ability to base troops in and fly aircraft over their territories, the US officials said.
