Rubio Says U.S. Service Member's Death in the Kurdistan Region Was an 'Accident'
U.S. Secretary of State says soldier was killed while decommissioning a downed Iranian drone as U.S. military death toll in nearly five-month war with Iran rises to 17
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the death of an American service member in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was an "accident" that occurred while troops were decommissioning a downed Iranian drone, describing military operations as "inherently dangerous" and paying tribute to those serving in uniform.
"Nothing the military does is safe," Rubio told reporters. "It's all inherently dangerous, and we're just grateful to have such heroic Americans in uniform in the service of our country."
His remarks came after the U.S. military confirmed that a service member was killed during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone in the Kurdistan Region.
According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the incident occurred on July 18 during an operation to safely dispose of the drone.
"A U.S. service member in northern Iraq was killed in action July 18 during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone," CENTCOM said in a statement posted on social media.
The military added that a second service member sustained minor injuries in the incident and continues to receive medical treatment.
Rubio also addressed the deaths of two U.S. service members killed in Jordan on Friday during an Iranian missile attack, saying one missile had penetrated U.S. defenses.
"A missile got through. We shot down almost all the missiles. One leaked through … it's heartbreaking," Rubio said.
The secretary of state said he was "praying for their families and praying for their souls."
Separately, CENTCOM announced that it had located unidentified human remains in Jordan after a U.S. service member had previously been listed as missing in action. The military did not immediately provide additional details regarding the identity of the remains or the circumstances surrounding the recovery.
The latest fatality raises the number of U.S. service members killed since the outbreak of the nearly five-month war between the United States and Iran to 17, underscoring the mounting human cost of a conflict that has expanded across Iraq, Jordan, the Gulf, and Iranian territory.
The deaths come as U.S. forces continue conducting military operations against Iranian military infrastructure while responding to repeated missile and drone attacks targeting American personnel and facilities across the region.
Despite extensive air defense efforts that have intercepted the vast majority of incoming projectiles, recent attacks have demonstrated that some missiles have penetrated defensive systems, resulting in casualties and further escalating tensions.
The conflict, which began nearly five months ago, has evolved into one of the most dangerous confrontations between Washington and Tehran in decades, with both sides exchanging strikes across multiple fronts while regional governments remain on high alert over the risk of a broader Middle East war.