US Service Member Killed in Iraq While Disposing of Iranian Drone Debris

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Sunday that a US service member was killed in northern Iraq on Saturday while conducting a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone. A second service member sustained minor injuries in the incident and is receiving medical treatment.

The death brings the confirmed number of US military fatalities since the escalation of hostilities on February 28 to 17. CENTCOM also reported that unidentified remains were found at a separate location connected to missing US service members, with verification ongoing. No further details, including identities, were released out of respect for families.

This incident follows the killing of two US service members in Jordan on Friday during a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. In response, the US carried out its eighth consecutive night of strikes on Iran on Sunday, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces. CENTCOM stated the strikes aimed to “swiftly punish” those responsible for the attacks in Jordan.

Iran retaliated within hours, striking two US bases in Kuwait with drones. One attack hit an ammunition depot at Camp Udairi and another targeted Patriot radar systems at Ali Al Salem Air Base. Bahrain’s military said it intercepted and destroyed “treacherous Iranian aerial attacks,” accusing Tehran of targeting civilians. In Jordan, sirens sounded as Israeli and Jordanian forces intercepted an Iranian missile heading towards the port city of Aqaba. Kuwait’s electricity ministry reported a fire at a power and desalination plant attacked for a second consecutive day.

An Israeli military official stated on Sunday that Israel is preparing to receive additional US refuelling aircraft, hinting at a potential expansion of military operations against Iran. The official said the US had “decided to adjust its force posture in the region” and would reinforce the existing fleet of refuelling aircraft stationed in Israel. Israel has not joined the latest wave of US attacks but has hosted dozens of such aircraft.

On Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that the US would face an “unforgettable lesson” if strikes continued. Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since February, also dismissed a deal bearing President Donald Trump’s signature as “worthless and invalid.”