Brandon Hansen / The Chronicle
The U.S. Central Command reported Saturday that three U.S. service members have been killed and five others seriously wounded during ongoing operations in the Middle East.
In a statement released from Tampa, Florida, CENTCOM said the casualties occurred as part of Operation Epic Fury attacking Iran. The update also noted that several additional service members sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions and are being returned to duty.
“Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing,” the statement said, describing the situation as fluid. CENTCOM officials said no further details would be released at this time, including the identities of the fallen, out of respect for their families.
The names of the service members will be withheld until at least 24 hours after next of kin have been notified, according to the command.
Central Command Accuses Iran Ambassador of Lying
The U.S. Central Command on Sunday accused Iran of targeting civilian infrastructure across the Middle East, disputing statements made by Iran’s ambassador during a recent United Nations Security Council meeting. On Saturday, the United States launched several strikes into Iran, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a social media post, CENTCOM said the Iranian ambassador claimed Tehran’s response in the ongoing conflict “has been directed solely and exclusively at the bases and assets of the United States.”
The U.S. military command called that assertion a “LIE,” alleging instead that Iranian forces have targeted civilian sites. According to CENTCOM, more than a dozen locations have been struck, including major international airports such as Dubai International Airport, Kuwait International Airport and Erbil International Airport.
The post also listed luxury hotels and commercial sites in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, including the Burj Al Arab and the Crowne Plaza Hotel, as well as the Port of Dubai and the Haifa Oil Refinery in Israel. CENTCOM further alleged that residential neighborhoods in cities including Tel Aviv and Beit Shemesh in Israel, as well as residential areas in Bahrain and Qatar, have been targeted.
