The United States and Ecuador began coordinated military operations against “designated terrorist organizations” on Tuesday, March 3, signaling another expansion of U.S. military activity under the Trump administration as it simultaneously carries out a major air campaign against Iran.
The Ecuador operation marks a notable intensification of the administration’s military stance in Latin America. U.S. Southern Command stated that American forces offered planning, intelligence, and operational support, with military advisors assisting Ecuadorian special forces in targeting narcoterrorist groups. This is the first instance of U.S. troops participating in a ground mission as part of the administration’s efforts against Latin American drug cartels.
The mission comes just days after President Trump initiated what the Pentagon calls “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran — a large-scale U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign that has already resulted in the deaths of six American service members. The conflict erupted on February 28 when airstrikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, effectively crippling the leadership of the Islamic Republic.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the Ecuador mission during a briefing but offered few details about its duration or size. The Pentagon remained focused on Iran, where the administration faces increasing questions regarding its goals and exit strategy.
In Iran, the human toll has been immense. Six U.S. soldiers died on March 1 when an Iranian drone hit a tactical operations center at a commercial port in Kuwait. All were Army Reserve soldiers from the 103rd Sustainment Command. Additionally, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were lost in a friendly-fire incident after Kuwaiti air defenses accidentally shot them down — though all six aviators survived after ejecting.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth adopted a resolute posture at Wednesday’s Pentagon briefing. “We can sustain this fight easily for as long as we need to,” Hegseth said, revealing that a U.S. submarine had destroyed an Iranian warship with a torpedo.
The conflict reached a devastating milestone when a strike hit a girls’ elementary school in Minab, in southern Iran. Iranian officials report 165 fatalities, most of them schoolgirls aged 7 to 12. UNESCO condemned the attack as “a grave violation of humanitarian law.” U.S. Central Command said it is reviewing claims of civilian casualties but has not verified responsibility. The school sits near an Iranian Revolutionary Guard base.
Intelligence insiders disclosed that the CIA provided Israel with location data that helped track Khamenei and other top Iranian leaders, facilitating the coordinated strikes that killed the Supreme Leader and at least a dozen senior military figures.
The Ecuador mission unfolds amid tense U.S.-Latin American relations. In late January, ICE agents attempted to enter Ecuador’s Minneapolis consulate while pursuing a suspect, prompting Ecuador to lodge a formal diplomatic complaint. Since then, the Trump administration has worked to strengthen ties with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, who recently met with U.S. Southern Command officials in Quito, shortly before the joint operation began.
The simultaneous missions reflect an unparalleled level of U.S. military involvement. President Trump has been directing both operations from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, warning on social media that the Iran campaign could last “four to five weeks” and that additional American fatalities are likely.
The political consequences have already surfaced. In Tuesday’s Texas primaries, Representative Dan Crenshaw — a former Navy SEAL who occasionally opposed his party on foreign policy — lost his Republican primary to state Representative Steve Toth, making him the first incumbent to lose renomination in the 2026 cycle. Meanwhile, state Representative James Talarico defeated Representative Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic Senate primary, setting the stage for a closely watched general election contest.
Critics in Congress are raising strong objections to the widening conflicts. Senator Tim Kaine, the lead sponsor of a war powers resolution intended to halt Trump’s Iran campaign, labeled the operation “an illegal war” initiated without approval from Congress.
The economic fallout has been swift and severe. Oil prices have surged as Iran’s retaliatory attacks strike Gulf nations that host U.S. bases. Iran has targeted facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, while its missiles have killed at least 11 people in Israel. The conflict has caused the most significant disruption to global air travel since the COVID pandemic.
Vice President JD Vance has voiced support for the administration’s actions in Iran, while the White House has stressed that both the Ecuador and Iran missions are aimed at terrorist groups and serve U.S. national security interests.
As military operations continue on two fronts, protests have broken out in several U.S. cities, with demonstrators condemning the expanding wars. The administration has offered no timeline for when either mission may conclude and has not ruled out the potential deployment of additional ground forces.
