From the Liveblog of
Saturday, February 28, 2026
US military says damage caused, but no casualties in Iranian retaliation
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The US Central Command confirms damage was caused to American military sites in the Middle East by Iran’s missile and drone attacks, but says no troops were hurt.
“US and partner forces began striking targets at 1:15 am ET to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that posed an imminent threat,” CENTCOM says in its first statement on the joint strikes with Israel.
It says that targets included “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.”
“The first hours of the operation included precision munitions launched from air, land and sea. Additionally, CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat,” the statement continues.
CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper says US President Donald Trump “ordered bold action, and our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen are answering the call.”
Following the initial wave of airstrikes carried out by the US and Israel, CENTCOM says it “successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.”
“There have been no reports of US casualties or combat-related injuries. Damage to US installations was minimal and has not impacted operations,” it adds.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 28, 2026
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