WASHINGTON, March 2 (KUNA) -- The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the number of American service members killed in the ongoing "Epic Fury" military operation against Iran has risen to four, following the death of a soldier who sustained severe injuries during the initial Iranian attacks.
In a press statement, CENTCOM said, "As of 7:30 am Eastern Time on March 2, four US service members have been killed in combat operations." The statement clarified that the fourth soldier was critically wounded during the initial Iranian strikes and later succumbed to his injuries. CENTCOM emphasized that "major combat operations continue and response efforts are ongoing." In a separate statement, the command noted that the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest, is participating in the operations alongside US forces supporting the "Epic Fury" mission, launching aircraft from the eastern Mediterranean. (end) rsr.aa