4 US service members confirmed dead after Iranian strike on fortified tactical operations center in Kuwait

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Monday morning that the four US service members who have died as part of the operation against Iran died in an Iranian strike on a fortified tactical operations center. This comes after US CENTCOM confirmed that a fourth US servicemember died from his injuries as a result of the strike. 

Hegseth said in a Monday morning press conference regarding the soldiers, "that particular incident was, you know, you have air defenses, and the lot's coming in, and you hit most of it, and we absolutely do. We have incredible air defenders. Every once in a while, you might have one, unfortunately, we call it a squirter, that makes its way through. And in that particular case, it happened to hit a tactical operation center that was, that was fortified. But these are powerful weapons, so we certainly will do, as I said, moments like that, as we remember them and we take care of them and take care of their families, only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we, we do this properly."

US CENTCOM announced that as of Monday morning, "The fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Iran’s initial attacks, eventually succumbed to their injuries." Dozens of top Iranian military leaders and the Ayatollah have been killed in the strikes against Iran that took place on Saturday. 

Hegseth said the US military fights to "win, and we don’t waste time or lives. As the president warned, an effort of this scope will include casualties. War is hell and always will be. A grateful nation honors the four Americans we have lost thus far and those injured. The absolute best of America. May we prosecute the remainder of this operation in a manner that honors them, no apologies, no hesitation. Epic fury for them and the thousands of Americans before them, taken too soon by Iranian radicals.

Speaking on the Saturday launch of the attack, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine said that the operation "was highly classified so that at each hour, the enemy would see one thing, speed, surprise, and violence of action." He said that as dawn approached, "the skies surged to life. More than 100 aircraft launched from land, sea, fighters, tankers, airborne early warning, electronic attack bombers from the states and unmanned platforms forming a single synchronized wave."

"This was a massive, overwhelming attack across all domains of warfare, striking more than a thousand targets in the first 24 hours."

Caine said the US’ "objectives are clear. Our mission is to protect and defend ourselves and, together with our regional partners, prevent Iran from the ability to project power outside of its borders." Hegseth said the "mission of Operation Epic Fury is laser-focused. Destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure, and they will never have nuclear weapons.