The number of U.S. military who have been injured or killed since the Iran war started has passed 770, according to the Pentagon’s casualty database (DCAS).
The new data brings total figures to 757 injured soldiers and 18 killed service members since February 28. The figures account for casualties from “Overseas Operations” and from “Operation Epic Fury”—as strikes on Iran were codenamed by the U.S. government. It is unclear if the casualties from “Overseas Operations” are from Iran. The category was launched on July 7 on the Pentagon’s website, marking the same day on which Trump’s administration said a new conflict with Iran started in a War Powers Act notification.
The data comes as U.S. president Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday that the situation with Iran is currently “so good,” despite there being apparently no progress toward a peace deal.
The DCAS database came under fire last month, after the numbers of killed and wounded casualties decreased before being restored. The Defense Department said the decreases were caused by “temporary data disruptions.” But their reporting was criticized by the media because of the slow disclosures too, with officials defending the speed through security concerns.
The rising casualty toll underscores the growing human cost of the Iran war and could increase domestic pressure on the Trump administration if fighting continues without progress toward a settlement. Uncertainty over which casualties are directly attributable to Iran, combined with previous disruptions and delays in Pentagon reporting, also complicates assessments of the conflict’s full cost. A sustained rise in U.S. casualties could begin to affect Washington’s military posture or willingness to pursue negotiations with Tehran. (EIR)
