Three U.S. Service Members Killed as U.S.-Israeli Strikes on Iran Continue into Second Day
Three U.S. troops were killed and five others seriously wounded during Operation Epic Fury targeting Iran, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Sunday. These mark the first American casualties in the ongoing strikes against Iran.
The announcement came as the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran entered its second day.
In a post on X, CENTCOM said several additional service members sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions and are being returned to duty. The identities of the fallen have not been released pending family notification.
“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,” it added.
CENTCOM has provided no further details about the incident. According to CBS News, the casualties involved American personnel stationed in Kuwait.
President Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on Saturday morning, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with dozens of other senior Iranian officials, including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Mohammad Pakpour.
In retaliation to the U.S.-Israeli attack, Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at U.S. and allied assets across the region, striking bases such as Al Udeid in Qatar, Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, Al Dhafra in the UAE, and Muwaffaq Al Salti in Jordan. Iranian attacks also targeted civilian sites across the Gulf and in Israel.
In a video posted on Truth Social, President Donald Trump expressed condolences to the families of U.S. service members killed and vowed to “avenge” their deaths. He said that further losses may occur.
“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. But America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, essentially, civilization,” Trump said.
B-2 Strikes on Iran
CENTCOM reported that B‑2 stealth bombers participated in the U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran. The aircraft took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, refueled midair with U.S. Air Force tankers, and completed the round-trip mission, landing at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, according to a video from a local aircraft spotter.
According to CENTCOM, the bombers dropped several 2,000-pound bombs on sites tied to Iran’s ballistic missile program.
The B-2s have been used in previous high-profile operations, including last June’s Operation Midnight Hammer against Iran’s nuclear sites.
CENTCOM also identified additional aircraft involved in the operation, including F-16s, F/A-18s, F-22s, and F-35s. Electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and early warning missions were carried out by EA-18Gs, P-8s, RC-135s, and MQ-9 Reapers.
U.S. defensive systems and munitions employed included Patriot interceptors, THAAD batteries, and M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems.
According to CENTCOM and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), U.S.–Israeli strikes targeted Iranian ballistic missile launchers, air‑defense systems, command‑and‑control facilities, Revolutionary Guard command centers, and other key military infrastructure.
CIA Intelligence Played Key Role
According to CBS News, intelligence gathered over months by the CIA and shared with Israeli counterparts led to the missile strike that killed Khamenei and other senior officials.
The agency reportedly learned that senior Iranian officials would meet Saturday morning at a Tehran compound, with Khamenei expected to attend. This intelligence was passed to Israeli authorities, who then chose to act on the opportunity alongside U.S. forces.
On Saturday, Trump confirmed U.S. involvement in Khamenei’s killing in a social media post, saying: “He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.”
U.S., Israel Launch Fresh Strikes
The U.S. and Israel continued attacks across Iran on Sunday, marking the second day of a campaign that Trump says aims to remove Iran’s government from power.
In response, the IRGC reported that it had targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with four ballistic missiles.
CENTCOM, however, disputed the report on X, stating that the carrier “continues to launch aircraft in support of CENTCOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime.”
The command reported that U.S. forces struck an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette, which CENTCOM reports is now sinking at a Chah Bahar pier in the Gulf of Oman.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the IDF said it targeted Hezbollah positions across Lebanon in response to projectiles the group fired toward northern Israel. The military said the group was operating on behalf of the Iranian regime.
As the fighting continues, Iranian officials report that at least 153 people, including children, were killed when a strike hit a school. In Israel, medical services say nine people have died after a missile struck the city of Beit Shemesh.
Trump Open to Talks with Iran
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Sunday, Trump called the recent U.S-Israeli military operation “one of the largest, most complex, and most overwhelming offensives the world has ever seen.”
He added that U.S.-Israeli combat operations against Iran could last about four weeks or until all objectives are achieved.
“We have very strong objectives. They could have done something two weeks ago, but they just couldn’t get there,” Trump said. “An Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be a dire threat to every American.”
In the years leading up to February 2026, negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over nuclear and missile programs repeatedly stalled. The most recent talks last Thursday ended without an agreement, despite repeated U.S. warnings of potential military action if a deal was not reached.
Trump said he is open to engaging with Iran’s new leadership, telling The Atlantic: “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them.”
Trump urged the IRGC to surrender with immunity or face deadly consequences. He also called on citizens to be courageous in reclaiming their country. “I made a promise to you, and I fulfilled that promise. The rest will be up to you, but we’ll be there to help,” Trump concluded.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a new leader could be chosen in “a day or two” after Khamenei was killed.
