4 U.S. servicemembers killed in Operation Epic Fury, while fighting continues today and extends to Europe. Also, three U.S. Army soldiers to be awarded Medal of Honor at White House.
1. Four U.S. service members have been killed in action and five seriously wounded in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, U.S. Central Command said Sunday and Monday. Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions and are in the process of returning to duty. Major combat operations continue, the command said. The Pentagon is withholding the names of those killed as officials work to notify next of kin. Identities will be released 24 hours after families have been notified, the command said. CENTCOM did not provide further details about the circumstances of the deaths or injuries. NBC News and The Washington Post reported earlier that the three service killed were members of the U.S. Army who were deployed to Kuwait.
2. Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states Monday, apparently hitting the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, while Israel and the United States pounded targets in Iran. A bomb-carrying drone boat struck a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, killing one mariner on board, Oman said. Iran has been threatening vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz and is believed to have launched multiple attacks. Earlier, Saudi Aramco temporarily shut down its Ras Tanura oil refinery near Dammam after it was targeted by Iranian drones. Iran’s decision to target the Saudi refinery further expands the war, directly targeting the lifeblood of the kingdom’s economy.
3. Iranian strikes on the weekend targeted regional bases that host European troops, triggering air defense systems and sending soldiers to seek shelter in bunkers. “We can confirm that attacks took place yesterday and today on the multinational military bases in Erbil, Iraq, and Al Azraq, Jordan,” the Operational Command of the German Armed Forces said in a Sunday statement, adding “air defense measures” had been activated. The German soldiers based there were relocated into air raid shelters and were unharmed, the command’s statement continued. Other countries known to have recently been based in Erbil include Norway, Sweden, Italy, France, Hungary and the Netherlands, though some troops were relocated ahead of the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. In their initial statements, European nations were emphatic that they did not participate in the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, although they simultaneously did not downplay their dislike for the Iranian regime.
4. Six U.S. airmen are safe after Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot down three fighter jets during combat with Iran on Sunday, U.S. Central Command said. CENTCOM said three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles were engaging Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones at around 7 p.m. local time when they were hit by friendly fire. All six aircrew ejected safely, the command said in a statement Monday. “Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” the statement read. The cause of the incident is under investigation.
5. President Donald Trump today will award the Medal of Honor to three soldiers who each fought in a different era, two of whom are being recognized posthumously. The medal is the highest military decoration awarded by the U.S. and will be awarded to three U.S. Army Soldiers: Master Sergeant Roderick (Roddie) W. Edmonds, U.S. Army (posthumous); Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis, U.S. Army (posthumous); and Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson, U.S. Army (Retired).
- Security