BREAKING: First U.S. Casualties Confirmed As Part Of Operation Epic Fury

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Sunday morning the first American combat deaths since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-led military campaign targeting Iranian regime assets in coordination with Israel.

“As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury,” CENTCOM reported via X post.

“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,” the statement continued. CENTCOM added that due to the fluid nature of the situation and out of respect for the fallen service members’ families, additional information will be withheld for 24 hours while relatives are notified.

CENTCOM Update

TAMPA, Fla. – As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury.

Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 1, 2026

Details surrounding the exact circumstances of the fatalities remain limited, as officials described the deaths only as occurring “in action” during ongoing combat tied to Iranian retaliation against U.S. and partner forces in the region.

Initial assessments on February 28 reported no U.S. casualties despite hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones launched toward regional targets. By Sunday morning, however, updated reporting confirmed the losses.

CENTCOM has not pointed to a single site where the casualties occurred as of this report.

The Patriot air defence systems at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar are working hard to down Iranian ballistic missiles tonight.

This video shows them intercepting several targets but one of the Patriot missiles also clearly misfires to the surprise of an American soldier pic.twitter.com/OCFbPXNqVJ

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 28, 2026

Operation Epic Fury was initiated at 1:15 a.m. ET on February 28 with precision strikes from U.S. air, land, and sea assets, including Tomahawk missiles, HIMARS systems, long-range standoff weapons, and drones. Targets in Iran included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, military airfields, and remnants of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Israel conducted parallel operations under the codename “Lion’s Roar” or “Roaring Lion,” focusing on leadership targets.

Iranian state media and U.S. officials confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a strike on his Tehran compound, an event President Trump described as a decisive blow against the regime.

Within hours of the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes, Iranian forces targeted multiple U.S. military installations hosting American personnel and assets across the Persian Gulf and beyond.

Strikes have been confirmed in Bahrain, which houses the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters. Footage uploaded to social media shows multiple Iranian missiles landing at the base on February 28, though no casualties were reported as a result of those attacks.

Al Udeid Air Base also came under attack, with multiple plumes of smoke observed near storage and industrial areas as of Saturday evening. Bases and related infrastructure were also targeted in Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, with three foreign nationals confirmed dead in attacks on the latter country.

Iran also launched strikes on supporting infrastructure, such as Oman’s Duqm port and an oil tanker near the entrance to the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Massive clouds of black smoke billow from the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet Headquarters at Naval Support Activity Bahrain in Juffair, a major district in Manama, Bahrain. pic.twitter.com/3HdT1dKdGm

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 28, 2026