The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Sunday night that a US service member was killed in action on July 18 in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone. A second service member was wounded and is receiving treatment for a minor injury. This brings to 17 the number of American soldiers confirmed killed in the war with Iran.
Earlier attacks and missing soldier
The announcement comes a day after the killing of two American soldiers in Iranian retaliatory strikes on a US facility in Jordan, with a third soldier listed as missing. CENTCOM suggested that the remains of the missing soldier may have been found. In a statement, it said: 'After a thorough search, U.S. military personnel found unidentified remains at the location earlier today. An examination process to verify the remains is ongoing.'
Continued US strikes and Iranian retaliation
The US also carried out strikes on Iran on Sunday for the ninth consecutive night, targeting command centres, air defence sites, maritime assets, missile facilities, and communications networks. Iran retaliated with strikes on US facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, all of which confirmed intercepting a series of drones in recent hours. The Kuwait army said its air defences are responding to 'hostile drone threats,' and sirens were activated in Bahrain on Monday morning, according to the country's Interior Ministry.
Iranian Foreign Minister's remarks
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the war will continue until Iran gets 'the upper hand.' He told state news agency IRNA: 'The end of the war is possible either through absolute military victory or through negotiations. The right time to negotiate is precisely when you have achieved a reliable field and strategic achievement on the military front.' Araghchi added that identifying the precise moment to halt hostilities and begin negotiations is a crucial part of crisis management, emphasizing that decisions must be based on accurate calculations despite some losses.
