Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed since the U.S. and Israel launched initial strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Six soldiers were killed in a Kuwait drone strike, and one service member was killed after Iran attacked a U.S. base in Saudi Arabia. Another six crew members of a refueling aircraft were killed in a crash on March 12, although the Department of Defense does not classify those deaths under the definition of killed in “hostile action.”A soldier is killed in hostile action if they are the victim of a terrorist activity or if they die as a direct result of combat.The last time this many U.S. service members were killed in hostile action in a single year was when 13 American service members were killed in Kabul on Aug. 26, 2021, during the U.S. withdrawal from AfghanistanAlso during President Donald Trump’s second term, two soldiers were killed in an attack in Syria on Dec. 13, 2025.During Trump’s first term, 67 service members were killed in hostile action. Most U.S. soldiers who were killed in hostile action since 1980 were killed during the war on terror following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Their deaths fell primarily under George W. Bush’s and Barack Obama’s presidencies. Since the latest war began, at least 3,000 people in Iran have been killed, according to The Associated Press as of April 16. More than 2,000 people in Lebanon have been killed, as well as 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=

Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed since the U.S. and Israel launched initial strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Six soldiers were killed in a Kuwait drone strike, and one service member was killed after Iran attacked a U.S. base in Saudi Arabia.

Another six crew members of a refueling aircraft were killed in a crash on March 12, although the Department of Defense does not classify those deaths under the definition of killed in “hostile action.”

A soldier is killed in hostile action if they are the victim of a terrorist activity or if they die as a direct result of combat.

The last time this many U.S. service members were killed in hostile action in a single year was when 13 American service members were killed in Kabul on Aug. 26, 2021, during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

Also during President Donald Trump’s second term, two soldiers were killed in an attack in Syria on Dec. 13, 2025.

During Trump’s first term, 67 service members were killed in hostile action.

Most U.S. soldiers who were killed in hostile action since 1980 were killed during the war on terror following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Their deaths fell primarily under George W. Bush’s and Barack Obama’s presidencies.

Since the latest war began, at least 3,000 people in Iran have been killed, according to The Associated Press as of April 16. More than 2,000 people in Lebanon have been killed, as well as 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states.