US identifies two soldiers killed in Jordan, launches attack on Iran for 10th night

The United States, on Monday, identified the two Army soldiers killed while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan, marking the first American troop deaths caused by direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the conflict.The US Department of Defense said First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Hawaii, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Texas, were killed in the attack carried out on Friday.The military said Gonzales died on Friday, while Feehan succumbed to his injuries a day later. US Central Command (CENTCOM) also confirmed that a third service member remains missing following the attack.US military deaths rise amid widening conflictThe Jordan attack highlights the growing risks faced by American forces stationed across the Middle East, even without large-scale ground operations inside Iran.On Saturday, another US service member was killed in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance recovered from a downed Iranian drone. A second soldier was injured and is receiving treatment for minor wounds.The latest fatalities take the number of US service members killed since the war began to 17, according to the US military.President Donald Trump continues to defend the military campaign, saying it is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.US retaliatesThe United States military said late Monday it was carrying out its 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, intensifying operations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz after another American service member was killed and Tehran launched attacks on US allies Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media that the latest strikes "are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping" in the strategic waterway.The latest escalation came as President Donald Trump warned of a stronger response to attacks on American troops.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.