KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait — Three U.S. service members were killed and five were seriously wounded as Iran struck back at U.S. forces during the second day of a widening U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran, U.S. officials said, March 1, 2026. The casualties were reported after Iranian retaliation hit sites hosting American personnel, as Washington and Israel pressed a fast-moving air-and-missile offensive aimed at degrading Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure. The Associated Press reported the deaths and serious injuries were confirmed by U.S. Central Command.
U.S. officials and news reports described the deaths as the first publicly confirmed American fatalities since the campaign began a day earlier, amid a rapidly escalating regional fight that has also rattled energy shipping lanes and raised fears of broader retaliation across the Gulf. The Washington Post reported the casualties occurred in Kuwait during an Iranian counterattack.
Operation Epic Fury: what U.S. officials say happened
U.S. Central Command announced Sunday that three service members were killed and five seriously wounded during operations tied to the campaign, with additional personnel suffering lesser injuries, according to multiple reports. U.S. and Israeli strikes continued through Sunday as Iran launched retaliatory missiles and drones at targets it said were linked to the assault, including U.S.-hosted facilities in the Gulf, AP reported.
U.S. officials have not released the names of the dead pending notification of next of kin. The Pentagon has also not provided detailed circumstances for each casualty beyond stating they occurred amid Iranian retaliation during ongoing operations, as initial assessments and force-protection reviews continued Sunday.
How the campaign began, and how fast it is expanding
The joint operation began Feb. 28 with large-scale strikes and continued into Sunday with additional waves, according to U.S. and defense reporting. U.S. Naval Institute News reported Feb. 28 that the U.S. and Israel launched the operation and that Tehran began retaliating across the region.
The White House framed the campaign as a “peace through strength” effort to neutralize Iran’s nuclear threat and topple the current leadership, according to a statement posted Sunday. The White House described Operation Epic Fury as an effort to crush Iran’s regime and end its nuclear threat.
U.S. officials and analysts also warned that the speed and scale of strikes increase the chances of blowback against American troops and regional partners, with air defense demands and munitions stocks emerging as early constraints, The Washington Post reported.
Retaliation spills into shipping lanes as Gulf risks rise
As the conflict widened, maritime security concerns surged near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global energy shipments. Reuters reported an oil tanker was hit off Oman’s coast as hostilities intensified, underscoring the risk that retaliation could extend beyond military targets and disrupt commercial traffic.
Information fog and force-protection rumors
As the campaign intensified, unverified guidance and viral messages circulated online about troop safety and location tracking. DefenseScoop reported U.S. Cyber Command did not issue a viral message telling troops to disable location services or uninstall apps, and officials described the message as false.
Continuity and context: why this crisis didn’t come from nowhere
The new conflict is unfolding against years of U.S.-Iran friction that periodically spiked into violence against regional shipping and U.S. personnel. In June 2019, the United States blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman—an episode that helped define the modern “gray-zone” maritime contest around the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters detailed the 2019 tanker attacks and Iran’s denial.
More recently, U.S. troops in the region faced lethal threats from Iran-linked groups. After a Jan. 2024 drone attack killed three U.S. service members in Jordan, U.S. officials warned of escalating risks tied to the wider regional war and militia activity. An AP explainer in 2024 detailed the attack on Tower 22 and the base’s role.
Diplomatically, the crisis also revives long-running disputes over Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was designed to limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, an arrangement that has since frayed and reshaped. The U.S. Treasury’s JCPOA archive summarizes the deal’s July 14, 2015, announcement and sanctions framework.
What comes next
With American fatalities now reported, the next 24 to 72 hours are likely to hinge on whether Iran expands strikes on U.S. bases and regional infrastructure, whether the U.S. escalates further against Iranian military targets, and how quickly partners can stabilize air defenses and maritime security. U.S. officials have indicated the situation remains fluid, with additional updates expected as damage assessments and casualty reporting continue.
