Two US soldiers killed in Jordan by Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks were identified on Monday (US time), the first troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war.

The Defence Department said in a statement that First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, were killed in Jordan.

They were deployed to support a US mission against the Islamic State group, the statement said.

The US military says 17 service members have been killed in the war with Iran.

US President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday to warn that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward “they will pay for that killing many times over”.

Trump offered no further details but said his directive has been relayed to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, and other US military leaders.
AP