Mississippi National Guard troops have been deployed to join the United States’ ongoing conflict with Iran.
Maj. Gen. Bobby Ginn, the Adjutant General of the Mississippi National Guard, confirmed Thursday that an unspecified number of airmen and soldiers from the 186th Air Refueling Wing, 172d Airlift Wing, 2-20th Special Forces Battalion, and Special Operations Detachment, were deployed in late February to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of “Operation Epic Fury.”
Operation Epic Fury is a U.S.-led, Israel-coordinated campaign to effectively neutralize the Iranian state as a possible threat to both nations. The U.S. and Israel first launched a surprise attack on Iran on Feb. 28, and the conflict has escalated since then. The Trump administration has engaged in a military effort to cripple Iran’s military assets and resources, with a reported overarching goal of ensuring the nation never possesses a nuclear weapon.
“Mississippi is praying for the brave members of the Mississippi National Guard and all U.S. Service Members who have been deployed as part of Operation Epic Fury,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “Our state’s guardsmen are truly the best of the best, and Mississippi will always be grateful to them and their families for courageously defending our nation.”
The conflict has received pushback stateside. In early March, Senate Democrats tried to advance legislation to halt the war, though the measure was squashed by the Republican majority. A Quinnipiac poll found that roughly 53% of registered American voters oppose military action in the Middle Eastern state.
The war has taken a toll on the wallets of Americans, as well, with gas prices soaring. In response to the Feb. 28 attack, which notably killed the nation’s supreme leader, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps effectively put a moratorium on travel through the Strait of Hormuz by attacking shipping vessels. The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most crucial oil transit route, carrying roughly 20% of global oil and liquified natural gas.
As things stand, 13 U.S. servicemembers have been killed in the conflict. Six died in an aircraft crash during refueling in Iraq on Thursday, while others lost their lives as a result of Iranian attacks in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. No Mississippi deaths have been reported from the war at this time.