Three American Service Members Killed in Iran Military Operation

Three American service members have been killed and five others seriously wounded during Operation Epic Fury, the joint United States-Israeli military operation against Iran, U.S. Central Command announced Sunday.

The casualties occurred among American personnel based in Kuwait, according to military sources. Several additional service members sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions and are expected to return to duty.

“Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing. The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified,” CENTCOM stated.

President Trump acknowledged the losses Sunday, telling reporters that “we expect casualties with something like this,” while adding that “in the end it’s going to be a great deal for the world.” The president described the fallen service members as having “outstanding records” and characterized them as “great people.”

“Could happen continuous — it could happen again,” Mr. Trump said, acknowledging the ongoing risks facing American forces in the region.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee offered condolences to the families of those killed and injured.

The casualties represent the first American losses since U.S. and Israeli forces launched their massive military operation early Saturday. The operation included strikes on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s compound in Tehran, resulting in his death. The Israel Defense Forces reported that several other Iranian officials and commanders were also killed, including an adviser to Khamenei.

Iran’s military has launched retaliatory strikes against Israel and other U.S.-allied nations throughout the Middle East. Israeli medics reported that at least eight people were killed in a missile strike near Jerusalem in the city of Beit Shemesh earlier Sunday.

In a video statement released Saturday, President Trump said his administration had taken “every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S. personnel.”

“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties, that often happens in war,” the president stated. “We’re doing this, not for now, we’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission.”

The White House has not yet provided additional details about the circumstances surrounding the American casualties or the broader operational status of the ongoing mission.

The deaths mark a sobering development in what has been described as a decisive military action against Iran’s leadership. As operations continue, the full scope of American involvement and potential additional risks to U.S. forces remain unclear.

Military officials have indicated that the situation remains fluid, with combat operations ongoing throughout the region.