Pentagon identifies Army soldier killed in action during Iraq operation

The Army connected Tuesday identified Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, from Fayetteville, North Carolina, arsenic nan U.S. work personnel killed while troops attempted to destruct a downed Iranian onslaught drone Sunday astatine an aerial guidelines successful Iraq.

Swinton, a U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) soldier, was killed successful action during a controlled detonation of nan one-way unmanned aerial strategy at Erbil Air Base, nan Department of War announced. The incident remains nether investigation.

"Every clip Iran kills an American Soldier they will salary for that sidesplitting galore times over!" Trump wrote Monday connected Truth Social. "This directive has been passed connected to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of nan Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and each Leader successful nan Military."

Swinton's decease brought nan number of U.S. work members killed since nan opening of nan conflict pinch Iran to 17. The toll includes deaths from Iranian attacks arsenic good arsenic crashes and different incidents connected to American subject operations successful nan region.

US SERVICE MEMBER KILLED IN IRAQ AS TROOPS RECOVER UNIDENTIFIED REMAINS IN JORDAN: CENTCOM

Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, was killed successful action during a controlled detonation of a downed One-Way Unmanned Aerial System connected Friday, astatine Erbil Air Base, Iraq. (U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command via AP)

"USASMDC is saddened by nan nonaccomplishment of Sgt. Swinton, whose decease occurred during an cognition to safeguard chap soldiers," Lt. Gen. John L. Rafferty, USASMDC commanding general, wrote successful a statement. "His work will not beryllium forgotten, and his sacrifice is not successful vain. We will support Sgt. Swinton's family and his portion during this difficult period. His nonaccomplishment will animate his chap soldiers to proceed nan mission."

U.S. Central Command antecedently said nan unexploded ordnance came from a downed Iranian one-way onslaught drone. Another work personnel was injured during nan detonation and received aesculapian treatment.

Swinton was assigned to D Battery, 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, based astatine Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

"Sgt. Swinton was an knowledgeable noncommissioned serviceman who took awesome pridefulness successful his activity and nan group astir him," Brig. Gen. John L. Dawber said successful a statement. "He answered nan telephone to work pinch courage, honor, and selfless dedication."

ARMY IDS 2 VICTIMS KILLED IN JORDAN AIR BASE ATTACK; TRUMP: IRAN WILL PAY 'MANY TIMES OVER'

The first victims of restarted hostilities were identified arsenic Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, according to a Monday release.

Swinton, who will person nan Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and beryllium posthumously promoted to unit sergeant, had already received nan Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War connected Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Combat Action Badge.

His decease followed nan sidesplitting of 2 U.S. soldiers successful Jordan connected Friday – 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas – arsenic American and allied forces defended against Iranian ballistic rocket and drone attacks.

Central Command said different work personnel remained missing aft those attacks, pinch President Donald Trump suspecting that missing personnel to person died, too.

TWO US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN IRANIAN STRIKES ON JORDAN, CENTCOM SAYS

A US subject guidelines established successful Herir District, 70km from Erbil, is seen successful Iraq connected October 17, 2015. (Photo by Hamit Huseyin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

"We deed them very difficult again tonight, and we did that successful grant of nan astir apt 3 – it's astir apt 3 arsenic opposed to 2 awesome patriots," Trump told reporters astatine Joint Base Andrews connected Sunday night.

"We consciousness very badly, but you know, those awesome people, those awesome patriots were retired location fighting that Iran could not have a atomic weapon."

The United States launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran connected Feb. 28. U.S. and partner forces person since targeted Iranian aerial defenses, rocket and drone facilities, maritime capabilities and different subject infrastructure successful a restarting of strikes aft nan Iranian violations of nan memorandum of knowing (MOU) complete its conflict for power of nan Strait of Hormuz.

Smoke rises aft a U.S. one-way onslaught aboveground drone reached its target, a submarine and vessel attraction facility, successful Bandar Abbas, Iran, according to U.S. Central Command, successful this screengrab taken from a video released connected July 13, 2026. (CENTCOM/Reuters)

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More than 50,000 U.S. subject unit are operating across nan Middle East, according to Central Command.

Fox News' James Levinson contributed to this report.