WATCH | Precision strike missiles used for first time during Operation Epic Fury

The United States has confirmed it deployed a newly developed ground-launched missile in combat for the first time amid ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Footage released by US forces in the region appeared to show the weapon in action. "In a historic first, the US Army fired long-range Precision Strike missiles, called PrSMs, in combat," Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command (CENTCOM) in the Middle East, said in a video statement issued late Tuesday (March 3).

Joint US and Israeli strikes targeting sites across Iran started early on Saturday (February 28) and entered their fifth consecutive day on Wednesday. In response, Iran has launched more than 500 missiles and 2,000 attack drones toward US-aligned nations in the region, according to American officials. Several countries, including Israel, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, have reported Iranian missile or drone attacks directed at their territory. Most damage has occurred at military and civilian locations after air defense systems intercepted incoming projectiles. British officials also confirmed multiple drone attacks on a major UK military installation in Cyprus, while Turkey said Wednesday it shot down an Iranian ballistic missile headed toward its airspace.

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The UK’s Akrotiri base in Cyprus is classified as British sovereign territory, and Turkey is a NATO member state. Although NATO’s collective defense clause treats attacks on member states as attacks on the entire alliance, these incidents have not been formally categorized as such. Separately, Israel announced earlier this week that it had launched operations in Lebanon after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, fired rockets into northern Israel.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters on Wednesday, "More and larger waves [of strikes] are coming" following the sinking of an Iranian warship by a US submarine-launched torpedo in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka. While Hegseth did not name the vessel, Sri Lankan authorities said they received a distress call from the Iranian Navy frigate Iris Dena, which was carrying 180 people. Officials said 32 individuals have been rescued.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.