CENTCOM confirms no US casualties amid US-Israel offensive on Iran as state media confirms death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply on Saturday(February 28) as Iran launched a wave of retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeting US military installations across the region, following American and Israeli-led attacks on key Iranian military infrastructure. Despite the scale of the assault, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that no American personnel were killed or injured.

"Following the initial wave of US and partner strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks. There have been no reports of US casualties or combat-related injuries," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The statement added that damage to US installations in several Gulf states was minimal and did not disrupt military operations.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dead

In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump asserted that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in an Israeli strike. Iranian authorities have also confirmed this claim. Trump also indicated that growing pressure from the ongoing military campaign may be prompting divisions within Iran’s security establishment.

Also read:

The humanitarian toll in Iran is rising, with the Iranian Red Crescent Society reporting more than 200 deaths and over 700 injuries nationwide following the strikes.

CENTCOM dismissed Iran’s claims of US casualties and denied that any Navy ship was hit, saying all forces remain fully operational despite minor damage to some Gulf installations.

The confrontation follows coordinated US strikes inside Iran aimed at crippling what Washington described as the regime’s core security and military capabilities. According to US officials, targets included facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), missile and drone launch platforms, air defense systems, and military airfields.

CENTCOM said American and partner forces successfully intercepted hundreds of incoming Iranian projectiles during the counterattack phase.

President Donald Trump defended the strikes as necessary to neutralize immediate threats to US forces and preserve regional stability, signaling that precision airstrikes would continue if required to meet security objectives. In his earlier address, he also acknowledged the potential risks, including the possibility of American casualties should the conflict escalate further.