Trump calls soldier deaths ‘a shame’ as US launches retaliatory strikes against Iran
Updated . First published
US President Donald Trump has spoken about the deaths of two US soldiers in the Middle East, insisting they died to help keep peace in the region.
Two were killed and one remains missing after Iran launched strikes against Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on Sunday.
President Donald Trump used the deaths of two American soldiers to defend the war against Iran. AFP
Trump, speaking to the New York Post, said the deaths were “a shame” but defended the wider war, which has been going since February.
“This is two wars we’re talking about: Venezuela and this. And it’s a shame, but in this case, they died because they don’t want to see Iran have a nuclear weapon and they don’t want to see the Middle East blown up,” he said.
He made references to the deaths in other American wars to justify the sacrifices made by the soldiers.
“Have you ever asked how many people died in Vietnam? Have you ever asked how many people died in Afghanistan in one day? In one day — run by ‘sleepy’ Joe Biden,” Trump said.
The United States also launched strikes in retaliation, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed.
The strikes reportedly struck the Muwaffaq Air Base, which has maintained a US presence for years. Google Maps
“US forces began launching new airstrikes against Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” the statement by CENTCOM said.
“The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night.
The two deaths in Jordan are the first from direct Iranian fire since the early days of the Middle East war, and has come at the end of a week of escalating conflict in the region.
“On July 17, two US service members in Jordan were killed in action as US Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks,” CENTCOM said earlier on Sunday.
“Additionally, one service member is currently missing.”
Four other soldiers were medically evacuated to hospitals within Jordan, but have now been released, while other personnel suffered from minor injuries.
CENTCOM said it would not identify the soldiers publicly until 24 hours after their next of kin had been informed.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in a statement, claimed responsibility for strikes on a base used by US forces in Al-Azraq, Jordan.
The IRGC claimed to “completely destroy” several aircraft in the attack, which it said was conducted with both missiles and drones.
The city of Azraq is where the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base is located, which houses US installations and troops, as well as fighter jets.
Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth paid tribute to “the fallen warriors” in short post on X.
“Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve,” he said.
Since the war began, 16 US service members have been killed and more than 430 have been wounded.
Minutes before the announcement, Iran’s supreme leader warned of “unforgettable lessons” if the US kept attacking the Islamic Republic.
The remarks read out on state TV and attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, still unseen since the war began, also called Trump’s signature “worthless and invalid.”
An Iranian negotiator said Tehran was suspending its commitments to the interim deal signed about a month ago and aimed at permanently ending the fighting.
Tehran’s declarations snapped another fragile thread as the war shows no end in sight. Now Khamenei warns of “lessons” not only from Iran but also its armed proxies in the region, calling them the “Axis of Resistance”.
Mojtaba Khamenei had warned the United States of “unforgettable lessons” if it did not halt its attacks on Iran. Nine
The battle has focused on control of the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that previously carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil. The widening strikes now threaten civilians and infrastructure, including desalination plants for drinking water, while the global economy again is on alert.
The US has violated its commitments under the deal and now Iran was “no longer implementing them,” Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, told state TV.
Reported with Associated Press and CNN
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