Trump vows to fight on after 3 US troops killed in Iran
Trump says US combat in Iran will continue until all objectives are met after CENTCOM confirmed 3 troops killed and 5 seriously wounded
US President Donald Trump said combat operations in Iran would continue until Washington achieves all of its objectives, after the US military confirmed its first fatalities in the fighting.
In a video posted on Truth Social on Sunday, March 1, 2026, Trump said three American service members had been killed and warned that further casualties were likely.
He also vowed retaliation for the deaths, saying the US military would keep fighting until it met “very strong objectives”, according to Reuters.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday that three US service members were killed and five were “seriously wounded” during operations against Iran, without providing further details.
In separate posts, Trump claimed the United States had sunk nine Iranian naval vessels and struck Iranian naval facilities, as the conflict widened across the region.
The fighting has heightened concerns over broader regional and market fallout.
The United Arab Emirates announced that its major stock exchanges would close for two days — March 2 and 3 — following Iranian strikes that hit civilian sites including airports, ports and residential areas, Reuters reported.
The US and Israel strike Tehran again as Iran retaliates across the region
Israel launched a new wave of attacks on Tehran after killing Iran’s supreme leader, while Tehran fired missiles in retaliation, affecting the economy and global aviation.
The situation in the Middle East has intensified severely as Israel launched another operation to attack Tehran on Sunday, just one day after the killing of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, causing the region and the global economy to face major uncertainty.
The Israeli military said it has gained air superiority over Tehran and struck intelligence, security and several military command centres, while Iran responded by firing missiles and sending drones to attack targets across the region.
The US confirms more than 1,000 strikes
US President Donald Trump said the operation aims to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, curb its missile programme, and eliminate threats to the United States and its allies.
US Central Command said it has struck more than 1,000 targets in Iran since the operation began.
However, a Reuters/Ipsos poll said only about one in four Americans support the operation. At the same time, at least three US troops have been confirmed killed, marking the first US losses in this operation.
Iran retaliates, spreading targets across multiple countries
Iran retaliated immediately, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announcing it had fired missiles and launched drones at targets in Israel, including bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Air raid sirens sounded across Tel Aviv, while there were reports of deaths and injuries in several areas.
The report also said Iran attacked US and British oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over the stability of the world’s energy transport routes.
Trump warned that if Iran continues to retaliate further, the United States will use force “at a level never seen before”, while insisting the operation has limited objectives related to security and stopping Iran’s nuclear programme.
Major aviation crisis, airports shut across the region
The impact spread rapidly to aviation. Airspace in several Middle Eastern countries was closed for safety.
Major airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha suspended many flights. International airlines rerouted to avoid high-risk airspace, causing widespread delays and cancellations.
Aviation experts said this is one of the most severe air travel disruptions in years, because the Gulf region is a key aviation hub connecting Europe, Asia and Africa.
Strait of Hormuz shaken, oil prices poised to surge
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a route that transports around 20% of the world’s oil — has left hundreds of oil tankers anchored, awaiting instructions.
Analysts expect global crude oil prices to rise immediately if the situation drags on for more than a few days, and it could affect US fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections.
Iran sets up an interim leadership council
Amid a power vacuum, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced the establishment of a temporary “leadership council” to act in place of the Supreme Leader, consisting of the executive branch, the judiciary, and representatives of the Guardian Council.
The death of Khamenei, who succeeded Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, is considered a major turning point in Iran’s power structure, while Russia and China issued statements condemning the killing.
