US military suffers first war fatalities as Iran’s counterstrikes widen
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WASHINGTON - The US said it suffered its first casualties in the war with Iran, which spread to several countries in the Middle East
Three US service members were killed and five “seriously wounded” during operations against the Islamic Republic, US Central Command said on March 1, without giving further detail.
President Donald Trump said in an earlier social media post that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed on the first day of strikes launched by the US and regional ally Israel.
Tehran confirmed Khamenei’s death hours later, saying the government will observe 40 days of national mourning for the 86-year-old ruler, who was killed in his office compound.
“Heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue uninterrupted throughout the week or as long as necessary,” Mr Trump said. Speaking on March 1, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country’s forces are striking Tehran “with increasing strength, and this will only increase even more in the coming days.”
The US president said in a social media post later in the day that US forces sunk nine Iranian naval vessels and that the headquarters of Iran’s navy was “largely” destroyed in a separate attack.
The war spread across the Middle East on March 1, as Iran responded to the initial US and Israeli attacks by sending waves of missiles at targets in multiple countries. Iranian projectiles struck buildings in Tel Aviv, while defenses in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait intercepted incoming fire.
Both Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced fatalities. Iranian television reported on Saturday that more than 200 people have been killed in the strikes on the Islamic Republic.
Dubai’s main airport, the world’s busiest aviation hub, was hit and nearly all civilian air traffic is closed across the Gulf.
Dubai landmarks including the luxury Palm Jumeirah island and Burj Al Arab hotel incurred damage during a series of blasts that shook the financial hub. Skyscrapers in Abu Dhabi were also damaged.
Logistics giant DP World temporarily suspended operations at the Jebel Ali port in Dubai, according to a notice sent to customers and seen by Bloomberg.
The UAE said the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market will be closed on March 2 and March 3.
The conflict has reverberated across global energy markets. Oil has already gained almost 20 per cent in 2026, largely due to US-Iran tensions, and OPEC+ on March 1 agreed to resume production increases
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit for oil and gas linking the Persian Gulf to the open sea, was described by Iran’s Tasnim news agency as being practically shut, with tankers increasingly avoiding the waterway. Several ships were reportedly struck around the coast of Oman
The assassination of Mr Khamenei, the ruler who dominated the Islamic Republic for more than three decades, took the US-Israeli campaign to quash Iran’s regional influence to a new level.
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed “revenge and retribution” for the killing, calling it a “legitimate right,” and other officials vowed to intensify the country’s military response.
Mr Khamenei did not publicly designate a successor, and the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for selecting the supreme leader, is required to appoint a new one. In the interim, a council comprising the president, the head of the judiciary and a jurist from the Guardian Council assumes the leader’s duties.
Videos from inside Iran flooded social media following news of the death, showing crowds dancing and chanting in the streets in celebration. Other clips showed mourners. In Pakistan, at least 17 pro-Iranian protesters were killed
A man holds a portrait of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as people mourn his killing at a rally in Tehran, Iran, on March 1, 2026.
PHOTO: ARASH KHAMOOSHI/NYTIMES
The UAE and Saudi Arabia condemned Iran’s retaliatory assault in blunt terms, suggesting Gulf Arab states are losing patience as Tehran lobs missiles across the region.
Mr Anwar Gargash, a senior advisor to the UAE leadership, urged Iran via X to “return to your senses,” warning that the Islamic Republic is now isolated at a critical time. Saudi Arabia summoned Iran’s ambassador in response to what it called “blatant” attacks which targeted the kingdom.
Iran doesn’t expect anyone to intervene to support Tehran, and the country is capable of defending itself, Araghchi told Al Jazeera, adding that his country didn’t start the war. Oman, which acted as mediator in the nuclear talks between the US and Iran that preceded the war, said Tehran is open to “serious efforts” that contribute to de-escalation.
Mr Trump said he has agreed to talk with Iran’s new leadership, The Atlantic reported, citing a conversation with him.
The unfolding conflict could be a defining moment for the US leader, risking a drawn-out regional war that leads to a surge in energy prices and more American casualties ahead of midterm elections in November.
The aim of the ongoing conflict is “eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” Mr Trump said in a video posted on his Truth Social platform early on Feb 28. He urged Iranians to “take over your government.”
Asked about oil prices by Fox News on March 1, Mr Trump said he’s “not concerned about anything” and that a takeover by the Iranian people is “moving along rapidly.”
Israel estimates its strikes destroyed hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles and knocked out about half of the nation’s launchers for the weapons, an Israeli military official said.
About 200 of Iran’s missile launchers were destroyed and dozens more rendered inoperable, the official said, asking not to be identified discussing sensitive information.
US forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drones, Central Command said in a statement.
US targets in Iran included included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defenses, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields, according to Centcom. Israel said the IRGC’s commander, Mohammad Pakpour, was killed.
Iranian media reported strikes on military and civilian sites, including one that killed over 140 people at a school in Hormozgan. Several large explosions have been reported in Tehran, the capital.
The prospect of a weeks-long regional war is a nightmare scenario for US allies in the Gulf such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. They pushed hard for Iran and the US to agree to a diplomatic solution over Tehran’s nuclear activities, fearing the chaos and flight shutdowns now unfolding could hit their economies and deter tourists as well as foreign investment.
Mr Trump said the military operation was required after Iran refused to renounce nuclear weapons
