Pentagon Identifies U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iranian Strike on Jordan
The Pentagon named 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales of Texas as the two U.S. soldiers killed in the Iranian attack on a base in Jordan.
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday identified the two U.S. soldiers killed in an Iranian missile-and-drone attack on a base in Jordan as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales of Texas, according to The Hill. It is the first time Washington has publicly named American service members killed in action in the current U.S.–Iran conflict.
What We Know
The Department of Defense said Gonzales was killed in action on Friday, when Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan with missiles and drones, Task & Purpose reported. Feehan died of wounds sustained in the same attack, per the department’s release.
The Guardian, citing the Pentagon, reported that both soldiers were killed “as part of the war with Iran.” The Associated Press confirmed the identifications and the soldiers’ home states, reporting that the two were from Texas and Hawaii.
U.S. Central Command had earlier confirmed on Saturday that two service members were killed, one was missing, and four were wounded in the Friday attack, without releasing names. The IRGC has claimed responsibility for the strike, describing it as a “devastating and simultaneous missile and drone attack” targeting fighter-jet shelters and a landing area.
What We Don’t Know
The Pentagon has not released the units to which Feehan and Gonzales were assigned, the specific circumstances of Feehan’s fatal wounds, or the status of the third service member listed as missing since Friday. The department has also not detailed damage to Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. This story is developing.
Context
Feehan and Gonzales are the first named U.S. combat deaths of the current U.S.–Iran war, which began escalating on July 12 and has since produced nine consecutive nights of U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and coordinated IRGC retaliation against American bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Syria. A third U.S. service member was killed Sunday in Iraq during a controlled detonation of an Iranian munition.
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, in eastern Jordan, hosts U.S. and coalition rotations supporting regional air operations. Jordan also hosts Tower 22 near the Syrian border, where an Iranian-aligned militia drone strike in January 2024 killed three American service members.
What to Watch
- Whether the Pentagon confirms the fate of the U.S. service member still listed as missing after the Friday strike.
- Whether the identifications trigger further U.S. escalation beyond the ongoing nightly strike campaign against Iranian military targets.
- Whether U.S. lawmakers demand a formal Article I war-powers vote now that named American casualties are on the record.
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