Pentagon Understated Iran War Troop Deaths by 4, Listing 18 Instead of 22
Updated
Updated · Haaretz · Sep 18
Pentagon Understated Iran War Troop Deaths by 4, Listing 18 Instead of 22
3 articles · Updated · Haaretz · Sep 18
Summary
Twenty-two U.S. troops have died in the Middle East since the Iran war began on Feb. 28, according to six U.S. officials, exceeding the Pentagon’s public count by four.
Eighteen fatalities were listed in the Defense Casualty Analysis System as of Friday, while five officials said the true toll was at least 22 and a sixth put it at 23.
Some of the undisclosed deaths were not directly caused by combat, one official said, but involved U.S. personnel deployed in the region during ongoing hostilities.
The gap adds to scrutiny of the Trump administration’s handling of the war it launched with Israel against Iran and of how the Pentagon reports casualties.