Iran claims 560 US troops killed in massive strike, CENTCOM reports limited losses

Tehran/Tel Aviv (Web Desk): Tehran/Tel Aviv: Tensions in the Middle East have escalated dramatically as Iran launched an extensive retaliatory campaign targeting US and Israeli positions.

Using drones and ballistic missiles, Tehran struck American military installations across the Gulf and sites within Israel, claiming significant casualties.

Iranian state media reported that as many as 560 US troops were killed, with bases in Kuwait and Bahrain hit by hundreds of missiles. The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was also reportedly struck by four guided missiles, suffering heavy damage.

Russian news agencies reported that the assault on the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain proved particularly deadly, with confirmations of numerous American fatalities.

Inside Israel, Iranian missile strikes caused severe destruction in Beit Shemesh, hitting a multi-story building and resulting in nine deaths and over twenty serious injuries. Emergency teams are still working to rescue people trapped beneath the debris.

Contrasting sharply with Tehran’s claims, US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that three American soldiers were killed and five others seriously injured during ongoing operations.

Additional minor injuries, including concussions and shrapnel wounds, were acknowledged, with some personnel returning to duty. A CENTCOM spokesperson dismissed Iranian casualty figures as false and said further details would not be released due to continuing operations and standard procedures for notifying families.

Iran’s actions directly challenge previous statements by former President Donald Trump that the country’s military leadership had been neutralized.

The strikes have already triggered a surge in global oil prices toward $100 per barrel and triggered sharp declines in Asian and European markets, including Pakistan, amid concerns about an extended regional conflict.

Analysts warn that if an attack on the Abraham Lincoln is confirmed, it could be the largest US military setback since World War II, with the potential to escalate toward a nuclear confrontation.