U.S. Confirms Seven Service Members Killed in Iran Conflict Amid Capture Rumors
Operation Epic Fury began February 28, 2026, with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes killing Iran's supreme leader and hitting nuclear sites, military bases, and naval assets. Iran fired back with missiles and drones on U.S. positions in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, leading to seven confirmed U.S. deaths so far—the latest from wounds in a March 1 attack. Unverified social media claims of massive casualties and 173 captured Delta Force troops in Tehran clash with CENTCOM reports, which dismiss Iranian propaganda of paradropped operators and ship sinkings as baseless.