News that two service members had been killed by direct Iranian fire rocked the nation on Saturday.
U.S. Central Command announced the two service member’s death, a third’s disappearance and four medical evacuations one day after a base was attacked in Jordon.
“Out of respect for the families, CENTCOM will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified,” the statement read.
Sixteen U.S. service members have been killed and more than 430 wounded since the war began, the Associated Press reported.
“The battle over the Strait of Hormuz has intensified in a conflict increasingly focused on control of the essential waterway that previously carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil,” the Associated Press reported.
“The strikes threaten civilians and infrastructure, including desalination plants for drinking water, while the global economy again is on alert.”
Americans responded to the news with words of outrage and despair.
“Really awful, dark, foreboding developments in the Middle East over the last 24 hours,” wrote MS NOW analyst Sam Stein. “Hard to see how you deescalate from here.”
Political strategist Mike Nellis condemned President Donald Trump for mounting an attack on Iran without approval from Congress.
“I will ask again: for what?” Nellis wrote. “Trump has no plan, no clear mission, and he’s getting our sons and daughters killed for his own vanity.”
Nellis later added, “I’ll tell you what: if Barack Obama had launched an illegal war, 16 U.S. service members were dead, and another was missing in action, the MAGA media machine would be frothing at the mouth. Right now? Quiet as a church mouse. F—ing cowards.”
Political podcaster Shaykh Sulaiman said simply, “Due to Trump’s illegal war.”