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Donald Trump<\/strong><\/a> is speaking out about American deaths after launching a military strike dubbed \u201cOperation Epic Fury\u201d on Iran. <\/p>\n The 79-year-old president announced that the United States had undertaken \u201cmajor combat operations in Iran\u201d in an address<\/a> shared on Saturday (February 28). Later that day, he confirmed that Iran\u2019s supreme leader Ali Khamenei<\/strong> had been killed in a post on Truth Social<\/a>. <\/p>\n Iran countered, attacking American military bases across the Middle East, NPR <\/a>reported. <\/p>\n The ongoing action has resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members with other American soldiers left \u201cseriously wounded,\u201d according to reporting by the U.S. Central Command on X<\/a>. <\/p>\n Trump<\/strong> addressed the dead in a video shared on Sunday (March 1), implying that he expected more U.S. service members to die in the coming days. <\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives,\u201d the president said in a video shared by the White House<\/a>.<\/p>\n Continuing, he added, \u201cWe pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That\u2019s the way it is. Likely be more,\u201d Trump <\/strong>said. \u201cBut, we\u2019ll do everything possible where that won\u2019t be the case, but America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilization.\u201d<\/p>\n Describing \u201cOperation Epic Fury\u201d as being \u201cone of the largest, most complex, most overwhelming military offensives the world has ever seen,\u201d Trump said that they had \u201chit hundreds of targets\u201d and killed Khamenei<\/strong>, described as \u201ca wretched and vile man\u201d who \u201chad the blood of hundreds and even thousands of Americans on his hands.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump<\/strong> urged any Iranian resistance to surrender, saying that otherwise they faced \u201ccertain death,\u201d adding, \u201cIt won\u2019t be pretty.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cCombat operations continue at this time in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Regarding the decision to strike Iran, which comes after repeated warnings<\/a>, he said, \u201cThese actions are right and they are necessary to ensure that Americans will never have to face a radical, bloodthirsty terrorist regime armed with nuclear weapons and lots of threats.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this year, the president shared a map that appeared to suggest U.S. plans for expansion<\/a> into three foreign territories. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n