Iran Missile and Drone Strike Wounds 12 U.S. Troops at Prince Sultan Air Base

Iran struck the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 27, 2026, wounding at least 12 U.S. service members, with reports citing as many as 15 casualties, as the one-month mark of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran passed. The attack, which combined at least six ballistic missiles and 29 drones according to the Associated Press, also damaged multiple U.S. Air Force KC-135 aerial refueling tankers stationed at the base. Two of the wounded were described as seriously injured, according to Reuters, while the Associated Press reported five in serious condition. The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment on the strike. Iran claimed responsibility for the attack, which the Wall Street Journal reported struck soldiers who were inside a building at the base at the time of impact.

Iranian spokesperson claims one tanker fully destroyed Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran's central military headquarters, said in a video statement on Saturday that the attack left one of the refueling aircraft "completely destroyed," with three others damaged and taken out of service. Iran's English-language channel Press TV published satellite images it said showed the destruction of several aircraft at the base following the strikes. The Prince Sultan Air Base, located approximately 96 kilometers from the Saudi capital Riyadh, is operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force but also hosts American forces. Al Jazeera reported the base typically accommodates between 2,000 and 3,000 U.S. soldiers, most of them involved in missile defense systems and logistical support. According to Al Jazeera, the base had come under attack at least twice earlier in the same week, including an earlier incident that wounded 14 U.S. soldiers. Saudi Arabia had previously intercepted several missiles fired near the facility. Iran also claimed it targeted a U.S. military support vessel near the port of Oman in a separate action.

„The Iranian attack left one of the refuelling aircraft completely destroyed, while three others were also damaged and put out of service.” — Ebrahim Zolfaghari via Al Jazeera

Total U.S. toll reaches 13 dead and over 300 wounded The strike on Prince Sultan Air Base came as the conflict, which the United States has designated Operation Epic Fury, reached its one-month anniversary. The Pentagon confirmed that since the start of the operation, more than 300 American service members have been wounded and 13 have been killed, six of them in an air crash. The U.S.-based activist group HRANA reported on March 23 that 1,167 Iranian soldiers had been killed, with the status of 658 troops unknown, though Iran's government has not released an updated official casualty toll. President Donald Trump, speaking at a forum in Miami on March 27, stated that the United States still had 3,554 targets remaining to strike in Iran, which he said could be done "quite quickly." Trump had also announced days earlier a 10-day delay to previously announced strikes on Iran's energy facilities to allow negotiations to continue. Washington and Tehran have begun indirect talks mediated by Pakistan, according to SIC Notícias.

3,554 (targets) — Remaining Iranian targets cited by Trump at Miami forum

Key events in the U.S.-Iran conflict: — ; — ; — ; —

Bushehr nuclear plant struck, Houthis enter the conflict A U.S.-Israeli strike late on Friday reportedly targeted the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, the third such strike in 10 days according to Al Jazeera. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran stated the strike caused no material damage, no casualties, and no technical disruption at the site. Israel's military also said on Saturday it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen toward Israel, which NPR described as the first time during the Iran war that Israel had faced fire from that country. The Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the Yemeni missile launch. Separately, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates said they intercepted Iranian drones overnight, and a worker in Oman was injured after being struck by a drone. Strikes were also reported in Tel Aviv early Saturday, with eight impact sites recorded including a university, leaving one person killed and two injured, according to NPR. The pattern of Iranian retaliatory strikes across the region has forced U.S. Central Command to disperse thousands of troops, with some relocated as far as Europe, according to eldiario.es.

The Prince Sultan Air Base has served as a significant hub for U.S. military operations in the Gulf region. The U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, designated Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, 2026, with joint strikes that also killed then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran subsequently appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, as Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. The conflict has drawn in multiple regional actors, with Iran targeting U.S. forces and allied nations it accuses of providing launchpads for American strikes.

Killed in action: 13, Wounded in combat: 300, Currently in critical condition: 10