Three U.S. Army soldiers—Private Isabella Gonzales of Texas, First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii, and Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad of New York—were confirmed by the Pentagon to have died in an Iranian strike on a military base in Jordan over the weekend. The attack targeted Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a key hub for American operations in the region, and marked the latest in a series of escalations between U.S. forces and Iran. The incident has added to rising tensions following a breakdown in ceasefire negotiations and a string of retaliatory actions between the U.S. and Iran.
Casualties and Background
Gonzales, 19, from Carrollton, Texas, was killed in action on Friday, while Feehan, 25, from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, was killed in action on Saturday. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York, was previously listed as missing in action but is now believed to have been killed on the same day as Gonzales. All three were part of the Army Air Missile Defense Command, deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. mission against ISIS. Their service underscores the ongoing role of U.S.
Rampersad served as a 25U Signal Operations Support Specialist and had enlisted in the Army in 2019. Her military honors included the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and several other medals.
The Attack and Aftermath
The strike occurred at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, which U.S. officials have described as a key node in the American effort to counter ISIS and other regional threats. Following the attack, which killed the three soldiers, the Pentagon confirmed that four other service members were medically evacuated to a hospital in Jordan and later discharged. Other military personnel were treated for minor injuries, though the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
U.S. forces responded with a new round of airstrikes in Iran under the direction of President Trump, marking the eighth consecutive night of such attacks. CENTCOM said the strikes aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to punish the Revolutionary Guard for the Jordan base attack. The ongoing military campaign reflects an escalating cycle of retaliation between U.S. forces and Iranian-aligned groups.
Friends described Gonzales as outgoing, spontaneous, and a lover of dance. She had left for basic training just a year ago. “I think she really did want to make people proud of who she was,” one friend, Zuleyka Acosta, told CBS News Texas. “She wanted to be very disciplined and viewed as someone brave.” Her service came at a young age, yet it left a deep impression on those who knew her, including family and fellow soldiers.
Feehan, originally from Utah but living in Oahu when he joined the Hawaii Army National Guard at 18, had a strong sense of duty. Representative Ed Case of Hawaii, who represents the Ewa Beach area, said: “Obviously, from a very early age, he felt the need to serve our country.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a social media post, wrote: “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.” The dignified transfer of the fallen will take place at Dover Air Force Base at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
These latest deaths bring the U.S. military fatality count in the war with Iran to 16. The previous casualties include six killed in an Iranian strike in Kuwait in March and one in an attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. In April, a Navy pilot died when his MH-60S helicopter had an emergency landing at sea, though the Navy said no hostile action was involved. The rising toll highlights the ongoing dangers faced by U.S.