North Texas soldier among two service members killed in Jordan drone strike

CARROLLTON, Texas - A 19-year-old soldier from North Texas was among two service members killed in Jordan during recent Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks, raising the total U.S. military death toll in the conflict with Iran to 17.

US casualties in Iran war

What we know:

The Defense Department on Monday identified the fallen soldiers as Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, and 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Both were supporting a U.S. mission against the Islamic State group when they were killed defending against the incoming Iranian strikes. A third American service member was killed over the weekend, though their name has not yet been released pending family notification.

The casualties come amid escalating hostilities across the Middle East. U.S. forces launched their ninth consecutive night of counterstrikes against Iranian targets as the two nations battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces responded by striking U.S.-allied countries, including Bahrain and Kuwait, causing significant damage.

Departing Joint Base Andrews for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the ongoing military operations prior to his flight.

Dig deeper:

Gonzales, 19, graduated from Hebron high School in Lewisville in 2025. She was a part of Jr. ROTC while at Hebron High.

Lewisville ISD released the following statement after Gonzales' death:

The Lewisville ISD community is mourning the loss of Isabella Gonzales, a 2025 graduate of Hebron High School, who was killed while serving our country overseas this weekend.

Isabella was 19 years old. After graduating from Hebron just last spring, she answered the call to serve in the United States Army. She gave her life in that service, and our district is heartbroken by her loss.

Not long ago, Isabella walked the halls of Hebron as a student, a classmate and a friend. Her decision to serve after graduation speaks volumes of her character.

On behalf of the students, staff and families of Lewisville ISD, we extend our deepest sympathy to Isabella's family, her friends and all who loved her. We are holding them close during this incredibly difficult time.

We are humbled by Isabella's service and by the devotion to duty that guided her. We will honor her life and the example she set, and her memory will always have a home in our community and in our hearts.

What they're saying:

"The Straits of Hormuz are international waterways, and they continue to launch against ships in that international waterway," Rubio said. "Other countries should join us in this effort, but the United States is involved not just in protecting those ships, but in targeting the places that they use to launch these missiles and drones."

Rubio noted that while Washington remains open to diplomatic avenues, conditions are currently unviable as Iranian leaders declared an interim peace agreement suspended.

Richard Kolko, a retired Navy commander and a former FBI agent, says the battle has shifted between the U.S. and Iran, and that controlling the Strait of Hormuz is the key focus.

"People don't realize how big Iran is as a country," Kolko tells FOX 4's Shaun Rabb. "Iran is as big as Alaska, which is two and a half times the size of Texas, and everybody knows how big Texas is."

"They've got manufacturing, they've got logistics, they've got the ability to build these drones, build these ballistic missiles, move them forward and continue to launch them."

TexasIran WarNews