March 2, 2026 (IP)
Iran launched continued missile and drone strikes against U.S. military assets across the Persian Gulf .
This comes after the killing of more than 550 people — including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, officials said, in a dramatic escalation that has pushed the region toward a broader war.
Tehran said the attacks targeted American positions and allied facilities in Gulf states hosting U.S. forces. Air defenses were activated across several countries as explosions were reported near military installations.
Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said “several” U.S. warplanes crashed within Kuwaiti territory during the escalation, adding that all crew members survived and were receiving medical evaluation.
The U.S. military confirmed that three American service members were killed in related operations.
US President Donald Trump warned that attacks on Iran would continue “until all objectives are achieved” and vowed retaliation for the deaths of the U.S. soldiers.
“Iran will face consequences,” Trump said in remarks from Washington.
In Tehran, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, rejected U.S. media reports claiming he had made a renewed push for nuclear negotiations with Washington, calling the reports false amid what he described as a defensive response to aggression.
Israel said it was striking at the “heart of Tehran” in ongoing operations targeting Iranian military and command infrastructure. The conflict widened further as Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets into northern Israel, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported more than 30 people killed in Israeli attacks, raising concerns that the fighting could spiral into a full-scale confrontation along Israel’s northern border.
The widening exchange has heightened fears of a regional conflict stretching from Iran to the Mediterranean, with Gulf states on high alert and global leaders urging restraint as civilian casualties mount.
The situation remained fluid Monday, with military officials on all sides signaling that operations were ongoing.
