Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Sunday, July 19th, 2026, described it as "remarkable in many ways" that the U.S. military has not suffered more fatalities in the ongoing conflict with Iran. His remarks came after two U.S. service members were killed in missile and drone attacks launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against military bases in Jordan on Friday, July 18th.

Warner offered condolences to the families of the fallen and noted that while there are "hundreds of seriously wounded," the total fatalities stand at 16. Speaking on CBS News's "Face the Nation," he criticized the conflict as a "war of choice" initiated without a clear plan or imminent threat, stating, "And as a member of the Gang of Eight, I can say unequivocally there was no imminent threat from Iran. You start a war choice without a plan."

In response to the attacks in Jordan, the U.S. military conducted airstrikes on Iran on Saturday, July 19th, aiming to weaken Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to "punish" the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces responsible for the assaults.

President Trump also commented on the situation, calling the deaths of the service members "a very sad thing" and reaffirming the U.S. commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon during an interview with NewsNation's Hannah Brandt.

Sources