DNA
WASHINGTON: More than 750 US service members have been wounded during US military operations against Iran since the war began in February, Pentagon data shows, underscoring the growing human and financial cost of the conflict.
Of the 757 service members reported wounded, more than 580 are Army soldiers. The total also includes 86 sailors, 64 airmen and 19 Marines, according to the Pentagon’s Defense Casualty Analysis System.
The database also lists 18 US service members killed during the conflict, which began on Feb. 28 with US and Israeli strikes against Iran.
While many of the wounded are categorized as casualties of “Operation Epic Fury,” the formal name for the conflict, the Pentagon created a new category called “Overseas Operations” in its casualty database in late July.
The Pentagon said the change was made after Operation Epic Fury concluded, with casualties linked to subsequent US military action classified under the new category.
The Pentagon and US Central Command have released few details about how the service members were injured or the extent of damage sustained by US bases during Iranian attacks.
Officials have said, however, that the overwhelming majority of the injuries are traumatic brain injuries, often associated with the blast waves from missile and drone attacks.
The casualty figures come as the financial cost of the military campaign continues to rise. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers last month that the direct cost of the Iran war had reached about $37.5 billion, the first time the Pentagon publicly put a figure on the cost of the conflict.
The administration has also sought tens of billions of dollars in additional funding for ongoing military operations in the Middle East.
An emergency funding request of about $87.6 billion included roughly $67 billion for the Pentagon, with proposed spending covering munitions, operational costs and classified programs, according to details presented to lawmakers.
The conflict, now approaching its sixth month, has continued without a ceasefire or broader agreement to end hostilities, while US forces remain engaged in military operations and efforts to maintain pressure on Iran.
The Pentagon has said little publicly about the full scale of damage to US facilities or the circumstances surrounding individual casualties, leaving the casualty database among the few official sources offering a broad picture of the toll on American forces.
