The Iranian ballistic missile strike that killed two US service members at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan last week struck prefabricated housing units where troops lived and slept, according to US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper reported that the attack was the third of three separate Iranian missile strikes on the base within a 24-hour period.
The Pentagon has identified those killed as First Lieutenant Tyler J. Feehan of Hawaii and Private Isabella Gonzales of Texas, both assigned to Army air and missile defence units. The remains of a third person have been recovered at the base and are being examined, according to US officials.
US officials told The Wall Street Journal that the three missiles which reached the base despite American air defences underscored the challenge of protecting the roughly 50,000 US troops stationed across the region against Iran’s ballistic missile and drone capabilities.
The newspaper previously reported that Iran has adapted its tactics by using missiles capable of travelling at extremely high speeds while manoeuvring during their descent.
Footage of the Iranian ballistic missile strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan last night. At least two missiles hit the base, killing two American service members. pic.twitter.com/8tOm6yyXwe
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) July 18, 2026
A spokesman for US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, declined to comment on the damage caused by the strikes.
Iran has circulated satellite images on social media that it says show damage to the air base, including what appears to be a residential area.
According to US officials cited by the newspaper, the first missile attack damaged the base’s gym after debris struck the building. Troops had sufficient warning to head for bunkers, although some were injured while attempting to take cover.
Hours later, a second missile struck an empty aircraft hangar after another air raid warning, officials said.
The third missile hit containerised housing units where soldiers had been sleeping. Although warning sirens sounded again, officials said not everyone reached the bunkers before the impact.
It remains unclear whether the two soldiers killed were inside the housing units or were caught outside while attempting to reach shelter.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said almost all of the incoming missiles had been intercepted. “A missile got through. We shot down almost all the missiles. One leaked through, hit the wrong place, and tragically, and it’s heartbreaking,” he told reporters.
Rubio also said the United States remained open to diplomacy with Iran. “We’re always open to diplomacy. It has to be real,” he said.
On Monday, President Donald Trump vowed retaliation for the attack. “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military,” Trump wrote on social media.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that the United States would face “unforgettable lessons” if it continued its military strikes against Iran.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Iran also launched attacks last week on King Faisal Air Base, which hosts US forces, and another airfield in Jordan where several US Army Black Hawk helicopters were damaged.