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However, the cost of this “success” was immediately apparent. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the opening phases of the operation resulted in the deaths of three American service members, with five others sustaining serious injuries. Iran’s response was swift and chaotic, launching a barrage of drone and missile strikes at U.S. military installations across the Gulf. Bases in Bahrain, Qatar, and the outskirts of Dubai became front-line targets, marking the most direct and violent confrontation between Washington and Tehran in modern history. Reports from the region detail fires raging across several airbases, disrupted communications, and temporary shutdowns of key logistical hubs, creating a sense of vulnerability previously thought unlikely for U.S. forces in the area.
