Iran Claims It Killed U.S. Troops in Biggest Exchange of Fire in Weeks – Iran is publicly challenging the United States to reveal what it claims are American casualties from a major overnight missile attack in Jordan. The claim comes as the war between Washington and Tehran returns to direct military exchanges after roughly a month of relative calm. Iran launched a barrage of missile and drone strikes against American military facilities across the Middle East early on Wednesday, September 2, following extensive U.S. strikes against Iranian military infrastructure and radar installations the previous day.
Tehran claims that American personnel were killed in attacks in Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq – though the United States has disputed the claims. Two U.S. officials told Reuters that initial assessments of the strikes show that there were no American casualties caused by the Iranian attacks.
B-52 Stratofortress, 40th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, loaded with 12 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) heads toward Iraq with it’s new mission directive. The bomber’s mission is to provide close air support for coalition troops stabilizing the country of Iraq, April 15, 2003. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraqi’s weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Richard Freeland) (Released)
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Nevertheless, the exchange represents a major escalation following weeks of limited direct fighting, and President Donald Trump pursuing a strategy of what he described as “low-keying it” against Iran, in anticipation of growing economic burdens forcing Tehran to return to the negotiating table.
Iran Claims Americans Killed In Jordan
One of the primary targets for Iran overnight was Camp Titin, a U.S. Marine facility near Aqaba in southern Jordan. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that a ballistic missile attack killed a “large number” of American personnel and destroyed military installations and attack helicopters, but those claims have not been independently verified. Nonetheless, Iranian diplomats continue to push the idea that Iran did, in fact, cause significant damage and even kill American personnel.
In a post directed at U.S. Central Command on social media platform X, the Iranian Embassy in Zimbabwe pushed Washington to confirm the death toll.
“Announce the death toll in Jordan last night,” the post reads.
“Truth will out,” the same account wrote in response to another user who claimed that X, or CENTCOM, would issue a “fact-check post” that “will be a lie.”
But Jordan’s account is quite different. The Jordanian Armed Forces said that 13 Iranian ballistic missiles entered its airspace and that air defenses destroyed 10 of them. The remaining three missiles reportedly landed in remote areas and caused no damage or casualties. U.S. officials also told Reuters that there were no casualties according to initial assessments.
Iran Attacks U.S. Positions Throughout the Gulf Region
Jordan was just one of a number of targets during the overnight assaults. Iran claims to have attacked American military positions in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Iranian officials have also claimed that drone attacks were conducted against Al Dhafra and Al Minhad air bases in the United Arab Emirates.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said drones and missiles struck the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, including the facility’s headquarters and the quarters of an American commander. As well as claiming casualties, Tehran also says that the strikes damaged maintenance facilities, warehouses, and a U.S. surveillance aerostate system in Erbil.
Kuwait did confirm that its air defenses had responded to missile and drone attacks, and confirmed that a drone caused a fire at a residential complex. As with the other attacks, however, Kuwait said that Iran’s claims of causing casualties were false.
Bahrain also said its forces intercepted Iranian drones.
Iran Says U.S. Strike Hit Wedding
Iran also claims that some of the most recent U.S. strikes caused civilian casualties. Iran’s Red Crescent claimed four people were killed and 67 injured after shrapnel from a U.S. missile struck a home hosting a wedding in Kuhestak, near Sirik. Iranian media claims that two of those killed were children.
BBC Verify confirmed extensive damage to homes close to where the U.S. strikes occurred, as well as to a telecommunications tower. A weapons expert also identified debris visible at the scene as appearing to have come from an AGM-84 SLAM-ER cruise missile used by the United States. CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said that the U.S. military was aware of the reports but that the strikes did not target civilians.
The Hormuz Fight Escalates Again
The battle to control the Strait of Hormuz also continues, with Iran claiming on Wednesday that two tankers caught fire after striking mines while traveling through what Tehran described as an “illegal route” protected by U.S. naval forces. It follows another incident on Monday that saw people killed when the Saudi-owned tanker Sidr was targeted by Iran. Two crew members died in that incident.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters also warned on Wednesday that its operations against American forces would continue until Washington “regrets” its actions. Tehran, it seems, does not consider the overnight missile and drone barrage as the end of its retaliation, or indeed the start of the end of the war. Far from it.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, producing and editing analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
