The Iran war entered its third day on Monday, March 2, 2026, as Iran fired additional missiles and drones toward Israel and multiple Gulf states, while U.S. officials confirmed the American death toll had risen to four.
Civilian casualties have also climbed, with at least 11 people reported killed in Israel, and Iran’s Red Crescent saying hundreds have died inside Iran since the U.S. and Israel began strikes on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Iran’s retaliatory fire has increasingly reached beyond Israel, with explosions and air defense activity reported in parts of the Gulf over the weekend and into Monday. Qatar said it intercepted attacks that targeted civilian infrastructure, including its international airport.
Iran war casualties rise in Iran, Israel, and U.S. forces
U.S. Central Command said Monday that a fourth U.S. service member died from injuries sustained during Iran’s initial retaliatory strikes, bringing confirmed U.S. military deaths to four. The Pentagon said more casualties are possible as the Iran war continues, while U.S. commanders described the campaign as ongoing major combat operations.
In Israel, multiple missile impacts have been reported since the conflict began. Public reporting on Monday put the death toll in Israel at at least 11, as emergency services responded to strikes in several locations.
Earlier, Israel’s ambulance service reported six killed in a single missile strike on the town of Beit Shemesh on Sunday, March 1, according to Reuters. Those figures do not capture the full scope of injuries, which local authorities have said include people hurt by blasts and falling debris.
Inside Iran, the Iranian Red Crescent said 555 people had been killed since the U.S. and Israel began strikes on Saturday, Feb. 28, with attacks reported across dozens of locations. Those numbers have not been independently verified by outside monitors and do not consistently distinguish between civilians and combatants in initial public statements. The Associated Press reported the Red Crescent figure as part of its coverage of the expanding conflict.
Kuwait downs three U.S. F-15s in friendly fire incident
A separate incident on Monday highlighted the risks of operating in heavily contested airspace. Kuwait’s air defenses mistakenly shot down three U.S. F-15 fighter jets during active combat, an event CENTCOM described as an apparent friendly fire incident. All six crew members ejected safely, were recovered and were reported to be in stable condition.
Reuters said video verified by its journalists showed a burning aircraft falling near the Al Jahra area of Kuwait and a person parachuting. Kuwaiti authorities acknowledged the incident and said an investigation was underway. Iranian state media, meanwhile, cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as claiming Iranian forces hit a U.S. plane that crashed in Kuwait, an assertion not confirmed by U.S. officials in the immediate aftermath.
Also in Kuwait City, smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the U.S. Embassy compound, with emergency vehicles in the area, a witness told Reuters.
The embassy warned U.S. citizens of an ongoing threat of missile and drone attacks and advised them to shelter in place, according to the Reuters report and embassy security alerts posted online. Travelers and residents were urged not to approach diplomatic facilities and to follow local instructions.
