Chairman of the U. S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Kane has announced a large-scale deployment of American forces to the Middle East as Washington prepares for an operation against Iran.

Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Kane said the buildup includes thousands of service members from all branches of the military. The United States has dispatched hundreds of advanced fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets, dozens of refueling aircraft, and the carrier strike groups led by the USS Lincoln and USS Ford, along with their full air wings.

Amid the growing military presence, an emergency unfolded in Kuwait. On the morning of March 2, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets crashed. According to U. S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the incident was the result of so-called friendly fire.

At the same time, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported heavy American losses following strikes on U.S. facilities in the Middle East. Iranian sources put the number of killed and wounded U.S. personnel at more than 500. The Fars news agency, citing an IRGC statement, said two ballistic missiles were launched at the site of American troop deployment in Bahrain.

The escalation follows the announcement on the morning of February 28 that the United States and Israel had begun a military operation against Iran. Strikes targeted several cities across the Islamic Republic, including the capital. One attack hit the residence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, resulting in his death.

Tehran responded with missile strikes and drone attacks on sites in Israel, as well as on U.S. air bases across the Middle East, further intensifying the confrontation.