The Pentagon confirmed that four US service members were killed and nine others wounded when Iranian drones struck American military installations at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar and a logistics hub in Bahrain, marking the deadliest single incident for US forces since the conflict with Iran began six weeks ago.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the attacks an act of cowardice and confirmed retaliatory strikes were authorized and launched within hours, targeting IRGC command facilities in Khuzestan Province and Isfahan. President Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, said the US response would be devastating and promised that the families of the fallen would be honored at Dover Air Force Base.
Congressional leaders from both parties called for a formal War Powers authorization debate, though the administration maintained it had sufficient legal authority under existing resolutions to continue military operations.