Pentagon reports 624 U.S. service members wounded since February Iran strikes
The Defense Department said 624 U.S. military personnel have been injured since the conflict with Iran began in February, after revising casualty figures and adding a new "Overseas Operations" category.
The Pentagon announced on July 25 that at least 624 U.S. service members have been wounded since President Donald Trump ordered strikes against Iran in February. The update also reduced the death count for the initial Operation Epic Fury from 18 to 14, moving four soldiers who died in July to a newly created "Overseas Operations" category that tracks casualties from July 7 onward. That category lists 207 wounded, though it is not clear how many were directly related to the Iran conflict.
The United States and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire in April and signed a memorandum of understanding in June, but sporadic attacks continued from both sides. The Pentagon said the changes to casualty statistics are being resolved in coordination with the military services.
"The administration seems to have a real hard time being honest about what is going on - not just about casualties, but about the whole war in general," said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former commander of U.S. forces in Europe.
The appearance of the "Overseas Operations" category on the Pentagon website was first reported by the Associated Press. Critics have described the unexplained adjustments to casualty numbers as undermining transparency.