Israel strikes Beirut; 3 US F-15s downed by friendly fire
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- Israel carried out airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday (Mar 2), after the Iran-backed group launched missiles and drones toward Israel.
- Hezbollah fired missiles and drones at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, widening a conflict that began when the US and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday.
- Donald Trump said the war on Iran could last a month as American military losses mount.
- Four US service members have been killed since the conflict began, according to the report.
- Three US F-15 fighter jets were brought down by friendly fire after Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot them down; all six crew members ejected safely.
Why it matters: The conflict is now a multi-front regional war with direct US involvement, and a friendly fire incident over Kuwait — a Gulf state hosting US operations — exposes the widening air campaign's operational risks. With four US service members already killed, the human and strategic costs of the Iran operation are climbing faster than a targeted strike implied.
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