The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Sunday, March 1, 2026, that three U.S. service members have been killed in action during Operation Epic Fury, the joint US-Israel military campaign targeting Iranian regime assets, nuclear sites, missile facilities, and leadership.
CENTCOM’s statement, released via its official channels, confirmed that five others were seriously wounded. Additional personnel sustained minor wounds and are returning to duty. This marks the first reported U.S. fatalities in the operation, which launched on February 28, 2026, involving airstrikes, missile launches (including Tomahawk cruise missiles, HIMARS, long-range standoff weapons, and drones), and carrier-based aircraft from assets like the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The casualties occurred amid Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone barrages on U.S. bases across the Gulf (including Al Udeid in Qatar, Al Dhafra in UAE, Fifth Fleet HQ in Bahrain, and sites in Kuwait), as well as direct engagements during strikes inside Iran. Earlier reports indicated no U.S. combat casualties from initial Iranian counterstrikes, but the latest update reflects the intensifying nature of the conflict.
This development has heightened global concerns over American losses in the escalating US-Israel-Iran war, with potential for further casualties as operations continue.