Operation True Promise 4: Iran Claims 200 US Troops Killed and Wounded

IRAN launched a large-scale retaliatory strike named Operation True Promise 4 in response to the joint aggression by the United States and Israel. The spokesperson for the Headquarters of Khatam al-Anbia reported on Saturday, 7 March, that more than 200 United States troops were killed and wounded in the attack targeting various military bases. The strikes are claimed as retaliation for the deadly military campaign launched by the US and Israel since 28 February, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, as well as several senior commanders and civilians. The Tehran-based side detailed that the strikes using missiles and drones have had a significant impact on the aggressor’s military infrastructure in the Gulf region. In the area of the US Fifth Fleet, 21 personnel were reported killed and dozens more wounded. Meanwhile, the most deadly impact occurred at Al Dhafra Air Base, where around 200 US personnel are claimed to be casualties, both killed and wounded. In addition to targeting air bases, the strikes also hit logistics routes by targeting an American oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf. The Headquarters of Khatam al-Anbia, which is responsible for coordinating cross-unit operations in Iran, says that this operation is a hard response to the US-Israeli invasion. The Iranian side asserts that they have the right to defend their sovereignty after civilian and military areas were heavily bombarded by the Washington-led coalition. To date, the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has not provided official confirmation of the exact casualty numbers on their side, while tensions in the region continue to rise with threats of further attacks from both sides that are becoming more overt. The Strait of Hormuz has again become a focal point in international geopolitics as tensions between Iran and the United States rise. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated Tehran will strike US military bases in the Persian Gulf if the superpower were to attack. President Donald Trump is considering renaming the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf during his visit to the Middle East.