Washington, United States. Three U.S. service members have been killed and another five seriously wounded in the first reported casualties of unfolding U.S. operations against Iran, the U.S. military said on Sunday.
Central Command reports fatalities and additional injuries
The U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement on Sunday that U.S. troops suffered additional, less serious injuries as well.
“Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions – and are in the process of being returned to duty. Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing,” Central Command said in a statement on X.
Central Command declined to offer specifics about how U.S. forces were killed and wounded.
Second day of strikes and regional escalation
The announcement came on the second day of strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, which have led to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have launched rounds of drones and missiles at targets throughout the Middle East.
Aircraft carrier claim disputed
On Sunday morning, Iran said it had launched an attack on the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with four ballistic missiles, state media reported.
Central Command said the ship was not hit and that Iran’s missiles did not come close.
First combat-related U.S. fatalities in major Trump-ordered operations
The deaths were described as the first combat-related fatalities suffered by the U.S. military in major operations ordered by President Donald Trump since he returned to office last year.
The U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites last June and the U.S. military’s seizure of Venezuela’s president in January led to no U.S. fatalities.
Trump comments on potential casualties
Trump warned on Saturday that there could be U.S. casualties.
“My administration has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S. personnel in the region,” he said.
“Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war,” Trump added.
What further details will the U.S. military release about how the service members were killed and wounded?