Trump on Deaths of Two US Troops in Jordan
Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) described the deaths of two American soldiers killed in Jordan following Iranian attacks as “a very sad thing”.
Speaking to NewsNation after US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the death of two soldiers in Jordan following Iran’s attacks on US military assets at Al-Azraq Air Base, Trump expressed his condolences for the loss and said the incident represents the risks faced by those who serve the country.
“It’s a very sad, very sad thing,” Trump told NewsNation.
“We hate for this to happen. It is in the best interest of our country,” he added, reiterating that Iran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
This comes after CENTCOM confirmed that two US soldiers were killed and another was missing in Jordan during defensive operations against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.
According to CENTCOM, the soldiers were killed while performing their duties during coordinated defense against Iranian attacks on July 17.
The statement said, “On July 17, two US military personnel were killed while performing their duties in Jordan, during the defense of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces against attacks by Iran with ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. There was also a military personnel among the casualties.”
CENTCOM also said four US soldiers injured during the attacks were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan. While all four were discharged, other personnel who were treated for minor injuries returned to duty.
On Friday, the Iranian Army said it targeted fuel storage facilities at Jordan’s Al-Azraq Air Base and launched drone strikes on multiple US military facilities in Jordan and Kuwait as part of the 14th phase of Operation Lightning.
According to a statement from Iranian Army Public Relations, the country’s armed forces also targeted an ammunition depot in Al-Udairi Camp, headquarters buildings and ammunition depots at Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, as well as several communication bridges.
Iran’s attacks came as a retaliatory strike after US forces launched a new round of military strikes against Iran; This marks the seventh consecutive night of operation.
