Three US service members killed in Iran operation as Israeli rescuers say nine dead in Iran strike

Casualties are continuing to mount across the Middle East as military exchanges between the United States, Israel and Iran enter a second day, deepening fears of a widening regional conflict.

United States Central Command (Centcom) confirmed that three American service members have been killed in action, with five others seriously wounded.

Iranian state media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for launching four ballistic missiles toward the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier. However, Centcom said the missiles “did not even come close” to their intended target.

On the Israeli front, the Israel Defense Forces accused Iran of “killing innocent civilians” after a missile strike on the city of Beit Shemesh left nine people dead. Correspondents described the attack as the deadliest in Israel since the current escalation began.

Meanwhile, an Iranian official reported that 153 people were killed after a girls’ school in Minab was hit in recent strikes. An IDF spokesperson said he was not aware of any Israeli operation in the area.

As hostilities spill beyond the immediate conflict zone, the United Arab Emirates said three people have been killed by Iranian attacks since yesterday. The country’s Ministry of Defence also confirmed that a naval base had come under drone attack.

Following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that a successor could be chosen within “a day or two” as the Iranian leadership moves to establish an interim governing structure.

With military actions and civilian casualties rising across multiple countries, the situation remains volatile as the conflict continues to unfold.