DID Press: At least 38 U.S. service members — 29 sailors and nine Marines — were wounded during military operations in the Middle East in September, according to data from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS).
The latest figures were recorded under the Pentagon’s “Overseas Operations” category, which has been used since the conclusion of Operation Epic Fury on May 5 to account for U.S. military casualties in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. A U.S. defense official told Military Times that the reclassification reflects the Pentagon’s position that current regional operations are not a continuation of Operation Epic Fury.
According to the Pentagon database, since the U.S. war with Iran began on February 28, 19 U.S. service members have died and 418 have been wounded. Since the May 5 end of Operation Epic Fury, the number of service members recorded as wounded in regional operations has reached 443.
The Pentagon maintains that the operations currently classified under “Overseas Operations” are separate from the Iran war. However, the continued recording of U.S. casualties in the Middle East after the formal end of Operation Epic Fury has drawn attention to the distinction between the Pentagon’s administrative classification and the ongoing military activity in the region.
The U.S. Navy has not provided details on the circumstances surrounding the 29 wounded sailors and nine Marines. A Navy official said the recent increase in the DCAS figures followed standard verification procedures and that the Defense Manpower Data Center and Navy casualty officials had validated the records. The Navy said all 29 wounded sailors had returned to active duty.
NBC News, citing U.S. officials, reported that eight of the nine Marines were injured after an Iranian cruise missile struck a vessel they were aboard in the Strait of Hormuz. The reported injuries included smoke inhalation and possible concussions.