By Njodzeka Kernyuy
The United States’ “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran has entered its third day as both sides continue to trade missiles without any end in sight.
The US and Israel on Saturday shocked the world with one of the most significant military combat operations in recent times, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Houssein Khamenei, 86.
The attack also killed over 555 people, including about 50 Iranian commanders and students, Iran Red Crescent reported.
That Saturday morning, President Donald J. Trump said the US, in coordination with Israel, had begun a major military combat operation in Iran, asking the Iranian people to “take over their government” once the operation was over.
The attacks involved a barrage of missiles from US aircraft carriers and military bases that had been amassed in the Persian Gulf and Israel.
Iran Retaliation Killing Three US Soldiers, Nine Israelis
Iran responded to the joint attack, saying every US and Israeli asset in the Gulf was a legitimate target. It proceeded to launch ballistic missiles at US military bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.
In the UAE, one person was killed and several others injured while trying to intercept the missiles, the government said.
On Monday, Kuwait reported that several US air force fighter jets had crashed. The US military confirmed three F-15 jets had been shot mistakenly by the Kuwaiti air defense system.
Iran also fired missiles at Israel, killing at least 9 people and injuring dozens more. On Sunday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said three US soldiers had been killed and five others injured.
President Donald Trump has said the death toll of US soldiers may likely increase, signaling a continuation of the operation until their “objective is attained in the Middle East.”
Iran Vows to Destroy the Enemy
Meanwhile, in Iran, hundreds of thousands took to the streets to mourn Ayatollah Khamenei, who had ruled the country with an iron fist since 1989.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country will continue to defend itself against the enemy—referring to the US and Israel, which the Iranian regime has always aimed to destroy.
Though the Supreme Leader is dead, officials indicated that the Supreme Council will meet to name a new leader. On Sunday, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi was appointed to the Assembly of Experts, a body responsible for selecting the country’s leader.
The council includes the president, the head of the judiciary, and another clerical member.
However, Iranians in the West have celebrated the killing of the Supreme Leader, thanking Trump for the action.
Reza Pahlavi, an Iranian prince in exile in the United States, said “total victory had finally arrived”, urging Iranians to ensure a smooth transition.
Trump Seeks Regime Change
Though the US and Israel claim Iran is enriching uranium to a level that could reach weapons grade and produce nuclear weapons, Iran has stated it was for peaceful purposes.
Before the Saturday attack, the US, in June, carried out operation “Midnight Hammer” in an attempt to obliterate Iranian nuclear sites with B2 bunker busters.
However, the Iranians on Sunday said that if the goal is regime change, then the US has missed its mark.
According to them, a powerful system is in place that cares less about who becomes the Supreme Leader.
Also on Sunday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had struck the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln with four drone missiles.
That information was immediately debunked by CENTCOM, which stated that the drones did not come close to the vessel.
Fighting Continues Amid Condemnation, Dialogue Calls
The fighting entered day three on Monday, March 2, with missiles still being exchanged on both sides. Gulf countries targeted by Iranian missiles aimed for US military installations have condemned Iran for violating international law and dragging them into the conflict.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Saturday, calling for de-escalation and a return to talks that were ongoing in Geneva when the US-Israeli attacks began.
