Luke Alsford
Published March 1, 2026 3:17pm
Updated March 1, 2026 8:42pm
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The US amassed an ‘armada’ of military assets in the Gulf before unleashing Operation Epic Fury on Saturday (Picture: AP)
The US army has boasted of ‘cutting the head of the snake’ after launching missile strikes on Iran.
Iran vowed revenge Sunday after the killing of its supreme leader and traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by a surprise U.S. and Israeli bombardment.
Blasts in Tehran sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky in an area of government buildings.
Iranian authorities say more than 200 people have been killed since the start of the strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders.
Posting a video of the US Navy launching missiles to take out Iran’s leadership, Central Command boasted: ‘The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed more than 1,000 Americans over the past 47 years.
‘Yesterday, a large-scale U.S. strike cut off the head of the snake.
‘America has the most powerful military on earth, and the IRGC no longer has a headquarters.’
It came as three US soldiers were killed in action and five more seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury.
US Central Command said that several other service personnel had sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions.
It is not clear how the troops were killed, but Iran has furiously launched drones and missiles at US bases throughout the Middle East following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Donald Trump warned in his Saturday morning address that US troops might be killed during the unprecedented military action against Iran
Iran has been firing waves of missiles and drones towards its neighbours (Picture: AP)
A drone view of the scene of a fatal Iranian strike in Beit Shemesh, Israel (Picture: REUTERS)
US CENTCOM said in a statement on X: ‘As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury.
‘Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty. Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing.
‘The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified.’
The Middle East has been hit by a wave of strikes (Picture: Kadri Suat Celik/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The announcement comes after Iran unleashed a third wave of missile and drone attacks towards its neighbours in the Middle East.
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Suicide drones hit Dubai and Bahrain this afternoon, while nine people were killed in a missile strike in the city of Beit Shemesh, central Israel.
The US and Israel have also pounded Iran capital, Tehran, on Sunday, hitting a major hub for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The Army hospital and several bases of the Basij militia were also hit, according to the official Fars news agency.
Cutting the head off the snake: Full list of US targets
The US military has listed the jets, ships and missiles it has used against Iran, while listing their targets. The targets do not include nuclear sites in Iran, while some of the military’s capabilities were not shared publicly.
U.S. military assets:B-2 Stealth BombersLUCAS DronesPatriot Interceptor Missile SystemsTHAAD Anti-Ballistic Missile SystemsF-18 Fighter JetsF-16 Fighter JetsF-22 Fighter JetsA-10 Attack JetsF-35 Stealth FightersEA-18G Electronic Attack AircraftAirborne Early Warning & Control AircraftAirborne Communication RelayP-8 Maritime Patrol AircraftRC-135 Reconnaissance AircraftMQ-9 ReapersM-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket SystemsNuclear-Powered Aircraft CarriersGuided-Missile DestroyersCounter-Drone SystemsRefueling Tanker AircraftRefueling ShipsC-17 Globemaster Cargo AircraftC-130 Cargo Aircraft
Types of targets:Command and Control CentersIRGC Joint HeadquartersIRGC Aerospace Forces HeadquartersIntegrated Air Defense SystemsBallistic Missile SitesIranian Navy ShipsIranian Navy SubmarinesAnti-ship Missile SitesMilitary Communication Capabilities
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