WASHINGTON (AP) — An Iranian missile attack Friday wounded at least 10 U.S. service members and damaged several planes at a military base in Saudi Arabia, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the situation.
Two of the troops were seriously wounded, one of the officials said. The attack on Prince Sultan Air Base damaged several U.S. refueling aircraft, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
The attack, which involved an Iranian missile as well as drones, comes a day after President Donald Trump said Iran has been “obliterated” and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that “never in recorded history has a nation’s military been so quickly and so effectively neutralized.”
This is not the first time that Prince Sultan Air Base has been targeted by Iran. Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, was wounded during a March 1 attack on the base and died days later. He is one of the 13 service members who have been killed in the war.
Satellite imagery that appeared to show the damage to the aircraft in the latest attack had been posted online. The attack was reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal.
U.S. Central Command said earlier Friday that more than 300 service members have been wounded in the monthlong conflict. While most of the wounded have recovered and returned to duty, 30 remained out of action and 10 were considered seriously wounded.
The Trump administration offered a 15-point plan for a possible ceasefire to Iran, with Pakistan as an intermediary.
Iran has denied that negotiations are taking place, while its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and roiled the world economy. Tehran on Friday, however, said it agreed to facilitate humanitarian aid and agricultural shipments through the crucial waterway.
Despite the discussion of talks, the Pentagon is preparing to send at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division — a unit trained to parachute into hostile or contested territory to secure key territory and airfields — to the Middle East in the coming days.
The military is also in the process of deploying two Marine units that will add about 5,000 Marines and thousands of sailors to the region.
Despite thousands of additional troops heading to the region, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the United States "can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops.”
In terms of the additional deployments, “we are always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies should they emerge,” Rubio told reporters after the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in France.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Mikel Oyarzabal scored two impressive goals in Spain’s 3-0 win over Serbia, and Florian Wirtz scored two and made two more as Germany twice came from behind to beat Switzerland 4-3, in entertaining pre- World Cup friendlies on Friday.
In other games, Ben White scored on his recall to the England side and then gave away a penalty in stoppage time as England drew 1-1 with Uruguay, while the Netherlands overcame Norway 2-1 in Amsterdam.
White was a controversial selection by England coach Thomas Tuchel, four years after walking out on his teammates in the middle of the last World Cup.
The Arsenal defender replaced Fikayo Tomori with 21 minutes left in a dull match on Friday and his appearance was greeted with both boos and cheers from the 80,000 fans present at Wembley.
However, he was in the right place at the right time 10 minutes from time to give England the lead after Cole Palmer's corner was flicked on and White poked the ball in at the far post for what will surely be one of the easiest goals of his career.
Uruguay did not have a shot on goal and that looked like being the winner, only for White to clip Federico Viñas in the box as the clock ticked past 90 minutes.
The referee pointed to the spot after a video review and Federico Valverde converted for Uruguay to leave the scores level.
It was the first goal that England has conceded in seven games and the decision left the coach and players furious, with Tuchel declaring it “not a penalty.”
Harry Maguire shared that opinion and was even more upset about the referee’s lack of action in dealing a rash challenge by Ronaldo Araujo on Phil Foden.
Maguire told broadcaster ITV, “You don’t see tackles like that and not get red cards.”
In Basel, Germany won for the sixth time in a row thanks largely to the brilliance of Liverpool’s Wirtz.
Germany looked shaky at the back and went behind in the 17th minute when Dan Ndoye cut in from the left and crashed a shot past Oliver Baumann from a tight angle.
Germany leveled nine minutes later when Jonathan Tah headed home Wirtz’s cross from the left but Breel Embolo put Switzerland ahead again in the 41st minute with a diving header after Baumann hesitated to leave his line.
Once again, Wirtz brought Germany back into the game, when, on the stroke of halftime, his flighted pass carved open the Swiss defense and allowed Serge Gnabry to lift the ball over 'keeper Gregor Kobel.
Wirtz then gave Germany a 3-2 lead 11 minutes into the second half with the best goal of the night, his stunning right-foot shot from full 30 meters sailing over Kobel into the top corner of the net.
Joel Monteiro equalized for the home side 10 minutes from time with a rifled shot that gave Baumann no chance but Wirtz made it 4-3 with another superb shot from the 18-yard line six minutes from the end.
The result ended Switzerland's 10-match unbeaten run.
In Villarreal, Oyarzabal was the star man for Spain in its hastily arranged game against Serbia.
The match was set up at short notice after Spain’s proposed game with Argentina in Doha fell through due to war in the Middle East and the home side showed just why it is one of the favorites to win a second World Cup title this summer.
Oyarzabal got his first goal with 16 minutes gone, hammering home after Alex Baena’s smart dummy from Fermín López's pass gave him time and space on the edge of the Serbian box.
His second, a minute before halftime, was an unstoppable left-foot shot from almost 25 meters out.
The goals take his international tally to 26 in 53 internationals and extend his superb scoring streak. The Real Sociedad striker has scored 11 times in his last 10 games for Spain.
Oyarzabal was withdrawn after 63 minutes as Spain gave a debut to Osasuna winger Víctor Muñoz but there was no letup for the Serbs. The Osasuna winger capped a happy night with a goal nine minutes later, taking a lovely back-heeled pass from Ferran Torres and stroking the ball home to make it 3-0.
In Amsterdam, Norway rested its record scorer Erling Haaland but took the lead after 25 minutes thanks to a curling shot from Andreas Schjelderup.
Virgil van Dijk leveled 10 minutes later when he powered home a header from a corner and Tijjani Reijnders gave the home side the win when he crashed home from close range five minutes into the second half.
The win extended the Netherlands' unbeaten run to nine games. The last time Ronald Koeman’s men were beaten was by Spain in a Nations League game a year ago.
In other matches, Algeria, which is pitted against Austria, Jordan and reigning world champion Argentina at the World Cup, beat Guatemala 7-0 in Genoa, and Egypt beat Saudi Arabia 4-0.
Morocco, which drew 1-1 with Ecuador, went behind early in the second half to a goal from John Yeboah but Neil El Aynaoui’s goal two minutes from time ensured a share of the spoils.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Netherlands' Virgil van Dijk, right, and Natan Ake celebrate after the international friendly soccer match between the Netherlands and Norway in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Switzerland's Breel Embolo, right, scores the second goal for Switzerland against Germany's Jonathan Tah, left, during an international friendly soccer match between Switzerland and Germany in Basel, Switzerland, Friday, March 27, 2026. (Claudio Thoma/Keystone via AP)
Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the international friendly soccer match between Spain and Serbia in Villarreal, Spain, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
England's Ben White, left, scores his side's opening goal during the international friendly soccer match between England and Uruguay in London, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Switzerland's goalkeeper Gregor Kobel watches the ball go into the net for Germany's fourth goal during an international friendly soccer match between Switzerland and Germany in Basel, Switzerland, Friday, March 27, 2026. (Claudio Thoma/Keystone via AP)
