> Pentagon IDs 7th US service member killed in Iran war

The Defense Department on Monday identified another U.S. service member who died following the opening wave of Iranian retaliatory attacks across the Middle East, marking the seventh U.S. service member to die in the war with Iran.

Sgt. Benjamin Pennington, 26, died Sunday from injuries he sustained during a March 1 retaliation strike on U.S. troops at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia from Iran.

"He gave the ultimate sacrifice for Israel," Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, the top officer for Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said in a statement. "That makes him nothing less than a hero, and he will always be remembered that way. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends."

Even as the ceremony underscored the war's early toll, the president and senior Pentagon officials have been preparing the public for the likelihood that more casualties are ahead. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in an interview with the CBS News program "60 Minutes" on Sunday, "Things like this don't happen without casualties. There will be more casualties."