U.S. expects more casualties, ‘difficult and gritty work’
The U.S. military expects to endure additional casualties in its operation against Iran, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said in a rare on-camera news briefing, adding that accomplishing objectives will take “some time” and “in some cases, will be difficult and gritty work.”The briefing, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, came after U.S. Central Command reported that a fourth U.S. service member had died from injuries sustained in Iran’s initial retaliatory salvos over the weekend. Earlier Monday, Centcom said that three U.S. fighter jets were mistakenly shot down overnight by Kuwaiti air defenses amid active combat, but that all six crew members safely ejected.
As the war escalated on its third day, Iranian retaliation continued with attacks on several Persian Gulf states. Hezbollah responded to the killing of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei with rocket and drone attacks on Israel, prompting Israeli strikes in the suburbs of Beirut and other Lebanese strongholds of the group.
