US soldier killed in Iraq during controlled detonation of Iranian drone
A US service member died in northern Iraq while conducting a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, bringing the total US military deaths since the US-Israel war on Iran began to 17.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Sunday that a soldier was killed on July 18 in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone. A second service member suffered minor injuries. The soldier's name was not released.
This death brings the number of US service members killed since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28 to 17. On Friday, two other US soldiers were killed in Iranian strikes in Jordan, and a third is missing. CENTCOM said on Sunday that unidentified remains have been found at the site and are being examined.
The announcement came as the US attacked Iran for an eighth consecutive night, and Tehran retaliated with missiles and drones against US assets in the Gulf. An interim ceasefire signed a month ago has unraveled, and the struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping channel, has deepened.
The conflict has killed thousands, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and caused major energy supply disruptions and fears of global inflation. Iran has used cheap, highly explosive “Shahed” drones, which cost about $30,000 each to produce, while interceptors cost millions of dollars and do not always hit their targets.
On Sunday, Iranian media reported a US attack near the city of Sirik in southern Iran and near Shadegan, close to the Iraq border. An explosion was later reported in Abadan. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization condemned a US attack on the site of a nuclear power plant under construction in Darkhovin. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was investigating reports of an overnight attack.
In response, Iran carried out drone attacks on US military assets at Kuwait’s Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem airbase. Kuwait’s government said a desalination plant was attacked for the second day running, causing a fire. Bahrain’s air defenses intercepted an Iranian attack, and Jordan shot down three Iranian missiles and summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires in protest.
