U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on July 18 that that two U.S. service members were killed in action in Jordan on July 17 while U.S. and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic-missile and drone attacks. A third service member remained missing in action as of July 18 .
Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. They have since been discharged. Other personnel were evaluated for minor injuries but have since returned to duty. CENTCOM said it would withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen service members, until 24 hours after notification of their next of kin.
The designation “missing in action” does not establish whether the service member was separated during the attack, trapped in a damaged structure, evacuated without immediate accountability, or killed but not yet recovered. CENTCOM had not provided further details.
Over the past week, hostilities between Iran and the United States have resumed at a high level. On Friday, CENTCOM announced that it had struck military targets in Iran for seven consecutive days. Iran has been targeting U.S. installations and facilities in Jordan and several Gulf states. In addition, it is hitting Kurdish targets in northern Iraq and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
News reporting identified the target as Muwaffaq Salti Air Base near Azraq, although CENTCOM’s initial statement said only that the casualties occurred in Jordan and did not identify the installation. The air base hosts U.S. forces and combat aircraft. At least two Iranian ballistic missiles reportedly struck the installation during a wider barrage involving missiles and one-way attack drones.
The deaths increased the publicly reported U.S. military death toll from Operation Epic Fury to 16, with more than 420 American personnel wounded since the campaign began. These appear to be the first U.S. military deaths attributed to direct Iranian fire since hostilities resumed following the collapse of the recent ceasefire arrangement.
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, commonly abbreviated MSAB and sometimes called Azraq Air Base, is a Royal Jordanian Air Force installation near Azraq in eastern Jordan, roughly 100 kilometers east of Amman. It is owned and operated by Jordan, but it has become one of the most important forward operating locations used by the U.S. Air Force in the Levant.
Map depicts location of the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. Click here for larger image.
The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in eastern Jordan is where U.S. aircraft are staged for combat operations. Aircraft operating from the base have reportedly included unmanned aircraft, fighters, aerial-refueling tankers, and transport aircraft. Iranian state media claimed that U.S. fighter and support aircraft were destroyed or damaged during the attack. Those claims had not been independently verified or confirmed by the Department of Defense as of July 18. Jordanian air defenses have been responding to repeated Iranian missile and drone incursions on an almost daily basis in the past several days. The number and types of weapons that reached the installation remain unclear. Available reporting indicates that the attack involved ballistic missiles and drones, but U.S. authorities have not released a detailed damage assessment.
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base has served as a major operating hub for U.S. and coalition air missions over Syria, Iraq, and the broader Levant. Its location in eastern Jordan provides access to several regional theaters while allowing aircraft to operate outside the Persian Gulf. That operational importance also makes it a prominent target during periods of direct conflict with Iran.
On Saturday, July 18, 2026, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi announced that Iran has suspended all of its commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States. Gharibabadi said Iran was suspending its commitments because it considered recent U.S. military actions a violation of the interim agreement.
The U.S. Department of State issued a “Worldwide Caution” (July 18, 2026) to U.S. citizens abroad due to the heightened tensions in the Middle East. Americans abroad should follow the guidance in security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures may cause travel disruptions. U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, may be targeted. Groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or locations associated with the United States and/or Americans throughout the world.
CENTCOM has not disclosed the service branches, units, precise location of the casualties, status of the search for the missing service member, or whether the deaths resulted from a direct missile impact, drone strike, fragmentation, blast effects, or falling interceptor debris. A detailed damage assessment has also not been released.
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Statement by CENTCOM on July 18, 2026 posted on X (Twitter).
https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2078530691109974522
Images derived from CIA maps.
