Three U.S. soldiers killed in war with Iran; Nine people dead in Israel after missile strike

Three U.S. military members have been killed in the war with Iran, U.S. Central Command announced Sunday.

The Florida-based U.S. military command said five other American military personnel were serious injured.

U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, did not disclose specifics of the wartime casualties.

“As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury,” Central Command said in a statement.

“Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty. Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing,’ the military command said in a statement.

The U.S. military has not released the names or branches or location of the casualties.

“The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified, “ the statement continued.

The U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other leaders of the authoritarian Islamist regime and targeting Iran's military and nuclear program assets. Iranian officials have reported deaths from a bombing at girls school. An Iranian official told MSNOW Sunday that an estimated 300 people have been killed in Iran in the war strikes.

Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against U.S. military bases and assets in the Middle East as well as Israeli cities and other Persian Gulf countries.

An Iranian missile strike has killed at least nine persons in Israel near Jerusalem Sunday.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who ordered the attacks Saturday in partnership with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warmed Iran Sunday.

“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

Republicans supportive of Trump (including in Montana) have voiced support for the U.S. and Israeli war strikes against the Islamist regime in Iran.

“President Trump made it crystal clear to Iran: ‘No nuclear weapons or arsenals of mass destruction.’ They should have taken the deal he offered: give up the weapons or face certain defeat,” U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, said in a statement.

“The President’s mission of regime change is now equally clear. The world, the Middle East, and especially the great people of Iran will be better off without Khomeini and his armies of terrorism. Now is the time for the people of Iran to take their country back. My heart and good faith are with them,” Zinke said.

“My prayers go out to our heroic service members and their families who participated in this action,” Zinke continued.

“We are at war.”