Up to 150 U.S. troops have been wounded during the first 10 days of the war with Iran, according to two sources who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday. The figure had not been publicly reported before. Earlier, the Pentagon had only confirmed that eight U.S. personnel were seriously injured.
After Reuters released the report, the Pentagon stated that about 140 service members had been wounded since the start of Operation Epic Fury, describing most of the injuries as minor.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said 108 of the wounded troops have already returned to duty, while the eight seriously injured personnel are receiving the highest level of medical care. The specific types of injuries have not been disclosed, and it is unclear whether any include traumatic brain injuries, which often occur after blast exposure.
The conflict began on February 28, with Iran launching retaliatory strikes against U.S. military bases. Iranian attacks have also targeted diplomatic missions in Arab Gulf states, as well as hotels, airports, and oil infrastructure.
According to the Pentagon, the number of Iranian strikes has dropped significantly since the start of the conflict, as U.S. forces continue bombing Iran’s weapons stockpiles and missile launchers.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the fight has not been more difficult than expected.
“They are fighting, and I respect that,” Caine said during a Pentagon briefing. “But they are not more formidable than we anticipated.”
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