The US military has confirmed that three service members were killed and five seriously wounded in operations against Iran, marking the first announced casualties on the American side.
Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions and are being returned to duty, according to a statement on Sunday from US Central Command (CENTCOM).
The casualties occurred amid ongoing US and Israeli air and naval bombardments targeting Iran, following the killing of the country’s supreme leader on Saturday. CENTCOM said major combat operations continue under “Operation Epic Fury,” and additional details, including the identities of the fallen, will be withheld until 24 hours after next of kin are notified.
President Donald Trump did not immediately comment on the casualties, though he gave several media interviews on other aspects of the Iran operation prior to the announcement.
The first reaction from a senior US official came from Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, who posted on social media site X, “Freedom is never free.”
Hakeem Jeffries, leader of the House Democrats, expressed sorrow over the casualties, calling for Congress to restrain the president.
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“No more American heroes need to die because of a reckless decision to go to war,” he said.
In response to the US-Israel strikes, Iran has launched missiles at US military facilities in the region and targets in Israel.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have struck the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles in the Gulf.
CENTCOM denied the claim, stating the missiles “didn’t even come close” and that the carrier continues to launch aircraft in support of operations.
The US has stated that the goal of the ongoing attacks is to destroy Iran’s military capacity and eliminate threats from the Iranian regime.