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Deadly Blow in Operation Epic Fury
Six American service members have died and 18 others have been injured amid ongoing US strikes on Iran, Pentagon officials confirmed Monday. The death toll rose after one seriously wounded soldier succumbed to injuries, and two previously missing personnel were recovered.
Central Command revealed that a projectile breached US air defences and hit a heavily fortified military position. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth explained at a press briefing:
“You have air defenses and lots coming in, and you hit most of it, and we absolutely do — we have incredible air defenders. Every once in a while, you might have one, unfortunately — we call it a ‘squirter’ — that makes its way through, and in that particular case, it hit a tactical operations center.”
Though Pentagon sources kept the exact location under wraps, reporting suggests the strike occurred in Kuwait.
Wounded Numbers Surge as Tensions Mount
Initial reports over the weekend cited five wounded troops, but US Central Command confirmed the figure has now jumped to 18. The extent of injuries and evacuation details remain undisclosed.
Air Force General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more air reinforcements are arriving but declined to reveal troop numbers.
“I think we are just about where we want to be in terms of total combat capacity and combat power,”
Caine said, warning that additional casualties are expected.
“We expect to take additional losses, and as always, we will work to minimize U.S. losses,” he added. “But, as the secretary said, this is major combat operations.”
Operation’s High Stakes: Crushing Iran’s Military Might
The US and Israel launched their assault Saturday, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with other top figures. Iran’s Red Crescent Society reported at least 555 Iranian deaths in the first wave of strikes.
At a White House ceremony, President Donald Trump outlined Operation Epic Fury’s three key goals:
- Destroy Iran’s missile capabilities
- “Annihilate” the Iranian navy
- Prevent Iran from ever acquiring nuclear weapons
Heightened Security and Military Alert in the US
In response to the escalating conflict, US Northern Command raised security at domestic military bases to Force Protection Level Bravo. This means all visitors must show ID, vehicles could face inspections, and the Trusted Traveller Program is on hold.
The identities of the fallen remain withheld pending notification of next of kin.
This developing crisis marks a sharp escalation in US-Iran tensions with grave human costs on both sides.
