US identifies Michael Emmanuel Swinton as soldier killed while disarming Iranian drone in Iraq

The US military on Tuesday (July 21) identified the American soldier killed while attempting to disarm an Iranian drone in Iraq as Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, a 30-year-old from Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Swinton died during a controlled detonation on Sunday at an air base in Irbil, northern Iraq. The US military said the incident remains under investigation.

Soldier to receive posthumous honors

In a statement, the military said Swinton will be posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and will be promoted to the rank of staff sergeant.

Swinton enlisted in the US Army in 2017 and was assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Paying tribute, Brig. Gen. John L. Dawber, commanding general of the Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said: "Sgt. Swinton was an experienced noncommissioned officer who took great pride in his work and the people around him."

He added: "He answered the call to duty with courage, honor, and selfless dedication."

Rising US casualties

Swinton's death came as the conflict between the United States and Iran continues to intensify across the Middle East.

Earlier, two US Army soldiers were killed in Jordan while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks on Friday. They were the first American troop fatalities caused by direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war.

The latest deaths underscore the growing risks faced by US forces deployed across the region as hostilities continue to escalate.

US identifies two soldiers killed in Jordan

The Pentagon said 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, were killed in attacks in Jordan last week.

The death toll among US service members in the war with Iran climbed to 17.

Feehan served with the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Southern Utah University said Feehan was weeks away from earning an MBA and will receive the degree posthumously.

And, Gonzales served with the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany, after graduating from Hebron High School in Texas last year. Her school district described her decision to join the Army as a reflection of her character and service.

The military said Gonzales died on Friday and Feehan succumbed to his injuries the following day. A third US service member remains missing after the attack, though US Central Command said unidentified human remains have been recovered and are being examined.

US-Iran conflict escalates

The latest casualties came as fighting between the United States and Iran intensified for a tenth consecutive night.

US forces carried out fresh strikes on Iranian military command centres, missile and drone launch sites, maritime assets and air defence systems. Iranian state media reported explosions across several southern and western provinces.

Iran responded by targeting US-linked assets across the region and attacking commercial shipping. A tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was struck, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for attacks on multiple ships.

The Pentagon said nearly 100 US service members have been injured since Washington resumed strikes on July 7, with about 96% returning to duty after treatment, most for minor concussions.

Shipping tensions widen

The conflict has also spread to critical global shipping routes.

With traffic through the Strait of Hormuz sharply reduced, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have announced a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia and threatened shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising concerns over global oil supplies and trade.

Saudi Arabia said it would keep the waterway open and warned that any attacks on commercial vessels would be dealt with firmly.

According to Iranian authorities, at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in recent US strikes. Since the war began on February 28, the US military says 17 American service members have been killed.

(With AP inputs)