Photo: Getty Images
At least six U.S. service members have been killed in action during Operation Epic Fury, the major combat operation in Iran that also resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in an update shared on its X account Monday (March 2).
"As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region. Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification," CENTCOM wrote.
CENTCOM had previously announced that four U.S. service members were killed in action in an earlier post shared on Monday. The Iranian regime gave a public warning claiming it was preparing to launch “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces" against U.S. bases at any moment while confirming the death of Khamenei during an attack by American and Israeli force.
“The most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces will begin toward the occupied territories and American terrorist bases in just moments,” the regime said via the semi-official Fars News Agency at around 6:15 a.m. local time.
Iran has launched retaliatory attacks on Israeli and American assets in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman in the hours following reports of Khamenei's death.