U.S. soldier killed in Iraq while dismantling Iranian drone

A U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq on Saturday while attempting to dismantle an Iranian drone that had been shot down. The U.S. military's Central Command (Centcom) reported the incident via the social media platform X. The drone contained unexploded ordnance, which detonated during the dismantling process, causing the soldier's death. A second soldier sustained injuries in the same incident, though their wounds are described as minor.

This death follows a previous Iranian attack on Jordan on Friday, which resulted in the deaths of two U.S. soldiers. Centcom stated that these soldiers were involved in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones alongside U.S. allies. Friday's incident marked the first time U.S. soldiers had died in the ongoing conflict with Iran since March.

In response to the Friday attack, the United States conducted retaliatory strikes against Iran overnight Sunday, targeting, among other entities, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Following the Friday attack, one U.S. soldier was reported missing. Centcom announced on Sunday that extensive search efforts at the strike site had uncovered the remains of an unidentified body, the identity of which is still under investigation.