ISTANBUL

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Monday that 18 American service members have been "seriously wounded" since the beginning of the joint US-Israeli military offensive against Iran, CNN reported.

The update by spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins followed the confirmation of a fourth fatality, a service member who succumbed to his wounds sustained during Iran’s initial wave of counterattacks.

All four died from the same attack in Kuwait, sources told CNN.

The casualties were announced as the US-Israeli operation entered its third day.

The strikes, launched Saturday, killed several senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting several Gulf countries, mainly US military bases in the region.

Earlier, CENTCOM said that three US F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of the operation went down over Kuwait due to an "apparent friendly fire incident." All six crew members ejected safely and were recovered in stable condition.