What's ahead for Iran war? More attacks, more forces, Trump says.

The United States is poised to deploy more forces in the war against Iran, the Pentagon said March 2, and President Donald Trump said more attacks are planned.

“The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon," the president told CNN host Jake Tapper in a phone call. Trump also told the New York Post he would not rule out sending ground troops into Iran "if necessary."

The death toll in Iran rose to an estimated 555, according to Iran's Red Crescent, as the war entered its third day. Israeli forces attacked Tehran and southern Lebanon, while Iran targeted oil and gas production sites in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and expanded attacks elsewhere.

In Kuwait, three U.S. F-15 fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defense missiles. All six crew members aboard the jets ejected and were safely recovered, according to the U.S. Central Command.

A sixth U.S. service member has died after an Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Kuwait that killed three others March 1, CentCom said. Two other service members were wounded in the strike.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the missile penetrated an air defense system over a tactical command center.

Additional strikes from U.S. and Israeli forces

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Iran's counterstrikes

An Iranian-made drone struck a British air base in Cyprus, causing limited damage and no ‌casualties, Cypriot and British officials said March 2.

The strike, which came hours after the United Kingdom agreed to let the United States use the base for operations in Iran, is the first against a European Union nation in the conflict.

Iran's ally Hezbollah entered the war and fired missiles into Israel on March 2. Israel responded with strikes in south Lebanon and Beirut, signaling an increase in hostilities in the Middle East.

Three US F-15s shot down in Kuwait in 'friendly fire' incident

U.K. agrees to open bases to U.S. bombers

U.K. officials are allowing the United States to use British air bases to attack Iranian missile sites. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at first rejected the United States' use of the bases but later relented and said British lives were threatened by strikes from Iran.

Trump criticized the timing of the U.K. decision, saying it "took far too long" to allow the United States to use the bases. In Spain, officials denied a similar U.S. request to use bases in Rota and Moron to attack sites in Iran.

CONTRIBUTING Bart James, Kim Hjelmgaard, Zac Anderson, BrieAnna J. Frank, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Francesca Chambers, Gabrielle Banks

SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters; U.S. Central Command