Iranian Leader Killed as US Confirms First Combat Casualties in Wider Exchange
US Central Command confirmed three US service members were killed and several others injured after the US and Israel launched a major strike that left the iranian leader killed, a campaign that has since drawn missile attacks across the Middle East.
Iranian Leader Killed: strikes set off regional violence
The strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior Iranian military figures prompted Iran to declare 40 days of mourning and to launch counterattacks, including missile strikes at Israel and US military facilities across the Middle East. An Iranian attack on the central Israeli town of Beit Shemesh killed nine people and wounded 28, bringing Israel’s reported death toll to 11, with more still missing.
US Central Command confirms casualties and limited details
On Sunday, US Central Command said three US service members were killed and several others injured as part of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The statement added that several others sustained "minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty. " Military officials did not provide details on how and when the troops lost their lives or sustained injuries.
The Central Command statement said, "Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing, " and added that "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. " A separate follow-up item referenced a news story that described three US service members reportedly killed in Kuwait, a detail that differs from the Central Command account.
Missile claims and denials around the USS Abraham Lincoln
Iran said it had attacked the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with four ballistic missiles, a claim carried by state media. US Central Command said the ship "was not hit" and that Iran's missiles "didn't even come close. " President Donald Trump warned earlier that there could be US casualties, saying "that often happens in war, " and later said on social media the US military had destroyed nine ships in the Iranian navy and was "going after the rest. "
Casualties across the region and the scope of the operation
The US operation against Iran, officially named "Epic Fury, " has so far claimed the lives of at least 200 people in Iran, the Red Crescent said. Outside Iran, the United Arab Emirates said three people had been killed in Iranian attacks there, while Kuwait reported one dead. Iran’s counterattacks also struck US bases in Bahrain and the UAE, per regional accounts.
