Iran live updates: 7th killed service member is identified

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, was killed in Saudi Arabia.

ByDavid Brennan, Jon Haworth, Kevin Shalvey, Leah Sarnoff, Meredith Deliso, Nadine El-Bawab, and Bill Hutchinson ABCNews logo
Last updated: Monday, March 9, 2026 3:00PM GMT
ABC News Live

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israel strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.

Iranian state television confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Tehran on the first day of strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen on Sunday to succeed him.

Iran is responding to the operation with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and multiple Gulf nations. Israel is also intensifying its long-running strike campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

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Mar 09, 2026, 2:27 AM GMT

US orders evacuation of non-emergency government employees from Saudi Arabia

The State Department on Sunday ordered the evacuation of non-emergency government employees and their families from Saudi Arabia, updating earlier guidance that authorized them to depart due to safety risks. Saudi Arabia remains a Level 3 "Reconsider Travel" country for U.S. citizens.

The U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia remains operational with core staff in place, according to the State Department.

-ABC News' Chris Boccia

Mar 09, 2026, 2:27 AM GMT

More missile and drone attacks reported in the region

Continued missile and drone strikes were reported across the Middle East in the early hours of Monday morning.

The Qatari Ministry of Defense said that armed forces intercepted a missile attack.

The Ministry of Defense in Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed two drones heading toward the Shaybah field.

The Bahrain Interior Ministry said in a statement that warning sirens were sounding, writing, "citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place."

The Kuwait Army said air defenses were confronting hostile missile and drone attacks.

Mar 09, 2026, 2:27 AM GMT

Hegseth talks ongoing war with Iran in '60 Minutes' interview: 'They will surrender'

In a wide-ranging interview with "60 Minutes," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. mission in Iran was "on track" and that surrender would be achieved by degrading Iran's military power.

He said the U.S. was not fighting a regime-change war, and that the military mission did not involve ushering a new government into power.

Hegseth said the U.S. would extinguish the nuclear threat posed by Iran, and that the Pentagon has options "to get after" highly enriched uranium that remains in the country.

Speaking of the campaign, Hegseth said, "This is only just the beginning."

-ABC News' Chris Boccia

Mar 09, 2026, 1:05 AM GMT

7 US troops dead from Iranian strikes, 1 dead in medical emergency

A seventh U.S. service member has died from injuries received during the initial attacks by the Iranian regime across the Middle East, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Sunday.

The service member, whose name was not immediately released, was seriously wounded on March 1 in an Iranian attack on U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, according to CENTCOM.

Seven service members have now been killed in action during Operation Epic Fury, which was launched on Feb. 28, according to CENTCOM.

The Department of War later announced Sunday that another service member died from a medical emergency as a result of a non-combat related incident. They were identified as Maj. Sorffly Davius, 46, of Cambria Heights, Queens, New York.

Davius died on March 6 at Camp Buehring in Kuwait.

Six service members died Feb. 28 during an attack at Shuaiba port in Kuwait, a commercial harbor that doubles as a logistics hub for the U.S. military.

In addition to the dead, a U.S. official told ABC News that nine U.S. service members have been seriously wounded from attacks across the region.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty