3,200 US Military Casualties Reported in First Week of Iran-US War: Tehran Claims Massive Losses

The Iran-US conflict, which erupted on February 28, has already resulted in heavy losses on both sides, according to claims from Tehran and Washington. Iranian media outlet Press TV reported on Tuesday that over 200 US military personnel were killed and more than 3,000 were wounded during the first week of hostilities. The report cited an Iranian intelligence official who described the situation as “very serious,” highlighting the depletion of US and Israeli defence stockpiles.

According to the Iranian official, the US military lost 150 missile launch platforms, 23 Patriot air defence systems, and 37 aircraft and helicopters in the opening week of the conflict. He also claimed that 43 percent of Washington’s arms stockpile had been destroyed, a figure that underscores Iran’s assertion of significant material losses inflicted on American forces. Tehran said it received these assessments from extra-regional sources monitoring the ongoing war.

In response, US President Donald Trump has maintained that Iran’s military has been severely weakened by American strikes. He stated that the US had effectively neutralized Iran’s air force and air defence systems, suggesting that Tehran would struggle to rebuild its military capabilities for at least a decade. Trump has emphasized that while Iran may attempt some limited retaliation, the US military remains dominant in the region.

The conflict intensified further as the US deployed 5,000-pound buster bombs against Iranian missile sites along the country’s coastline near the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, a major artery for global oil shipments that has been disrupted since the start of the war. Meanwhile, a projectile struck the area near the Bushehr nuclear power plant but reportedly caused no damage or casualties, according to reports shared with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran, however, has continued its offensive. In retaliation for the killing of its security chief Ali Larijani, Tehran launched missiles at Israeli targets using Khorramshahr 4 and Qadr missiles equipped with cluster warheads, marking a significant escalation in the regional conflict. Both nations continue to claim substantial damage to each other’s weaponry and infrastructure as the war shows no immediate signs of de-escalation.