The attack
on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base on July 17 marked the first confirmed U.S. combat
deaths since the Islamabad Memorandum ceasefire broke down last month.
It came during the seventh night of U.S.
airstrikes on Iranian military sites, as forces enforce a naval blockade in the
Strait of Hormuz.
Iran claims U.S. strikes hit civilian water facilities, while America insists targets are military; both sides accuse each other of violating the June 17 agreement, raising fears of wider conflict and oil disruptions.