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Three military personnel have lost their lives thus far amidst Operation Epic Fury, America’s offensive targeting Iran, U.S. Central Command declared on March 1.
Concurrently, the United States and Israel persisted with the aerial offensive, as U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers executed a series of assaults, an individual acquainted with the operation disclosed to Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Following the commencing extensive barrage of American and Israeli air assaults, Iran commenced striking back at U.S. installations throughout the Middle East, aiming at Naval Support Activity Bahrain; Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar; Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait; Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates; and Muwaffaq Al Salti Air Base in Jordan. Furthermore, Iran also struck non-military locations across the Gulf and Israel.
Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Ali Al Salem, and Al Udeid sustained impacts from munitions, as evidenced by satellite visuals and online video footage. It remains uncertain whether other installations were struck. Several nations within the area, encompassing those housing U.S. forces, verified that they had experienced extensive missile and unmanned aerial vehicle assaults.
An additional five Americans sustained grave injuries. CENTCOM refrained from detailing the cause of these losses and warned that its data was precise up to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on March 1.
“A number of other personnel incurred slight fragmentation wounds and head trauma—and are undergoing the procedure of rejoining active service,” CENTCOM stated in a dispatch. “Significant military engagements persist, and our retaliatory actions are proceeding.”
President Donald Trump recognized that U.S. military personnel might perish when he proclaimed the initiation of Operation Epic Fury on the morning of Feb. 28.
“My administration has undertaken all conceivable measures to lessen the peril to U.S. personnel in the region,” Trump conveyed in a video address disseminated on social media. “The existence of valiant American champions might cease, and we may experience losses.”
B-2 Strikes
The B-2 stealth bombers that assaulted Iran set out from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., for a two-way sortie, replenishing fuel en route with the assistance of U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft.
B-2s also found deployment in last June’s Operation Midnight Hammer targeting Iran’s atomic installations and last spring’s Operation Rough Rider for aerial bombardment of Houthi objectives in Yemen. They were similarly utilized against the Houthis during the Biden presidency in 2024.
Insights from Air Traffic Control transmissions and publicly available information suggest four B-2s participated in the operation, employing the designations Petro 41-44.
The B-2s operate as covert aerial attackers, even though U.S. and Israeli officials claim they have neutralized a significant portion of Iran’s aerial protection systems. Numerous assaults to date, including the Israeli Air Force’s strike on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were executed in full visibility. U.S. officials stated their concentration was on diminishing Iran’s anti-air capabilities during the initial stages of the offensive.
The deployment of the B-2s was initially disclosed by Fox News.
B-2s are equipped with highly intricate fortified structure destroying bombs, chiefly the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which was employed in assaults targeting Iranian atomic installations last year. It has also been applied practically over recent years to deliver dozens of 2,000-pound precision-guided munitions, encompassing actions against the Houthis in Yemen. Fox News indicated that 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions were deployed in Operation Epic Fury.
This article’s auditory version is presented by the Air & Space Forces Association, venerating and championing our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Discover additional information at afa.org