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Six American service members have died as a result of Iran’s recent retaliatory actions following U.S. and Israeli military operations over the weekend, according to officials on Monday.
The U.S. Central Command, known as CENTCOM, reported that U.S. forces have recently retrieved the remains of two service members who were previously unaccounted for after a facility was targeted during Iran’s initial assault in the area.
“Major combat operations are ongoing. The identities of the deceased will be disclosed 24 hours after notifying their next of kin,” stated a post from CENTCOM on X.
In response to U.S. operations that led to the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran launched attacks on U.S. military bases located in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to targeting Israel.
On Monday, General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced that additional U.S. troops are being deployed to the Middle East as tensions with Iran continue to rise.
A U.S. Navy fighter jet on an aircraft carrier. U.S. Central Command on Monday said six American military service members have been killed in Iranian strikes. (U.S. Central Command)
The U.S. mission in Iran, Caine said, is to “prevent Iran from (the) ability to project power outside its borders.”
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the mission is to prevent Tehran from producing a nuclear weapon, as well as destroying some of its military capabilities.
Over the weekend, Iran had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman where it has disrupted commercial shipping, CENTCOM said, but that number declined to zero by Monday.
“The Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international shipping in the Gulf of Oman for decades. Those days are over,” it said. “Freedom of maritime navigation has underpinned American and global economic prosperity for more than 80 years. U.S. forces will continue to defend it.”Â
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