Pentagon updates official count of US service members killed during Iran war - report
The Washington Post reported in September that the previous official count of 18 may have been inaccurate and that at least four service members were potentially excluded from the official tally.
The Pentagon has revised its official count of US service members killed during the Iran war, raising the total from 18 to 21, according to a report from The Washington Post. The update included two noncombat deaths: Army National Guard Maj. Sorffly Davius, who passed away in Kuwait in March, and an unidentified Navy suicide. The previous figure of 18 may have been inaccurate, as at least four service members were potentially omitted from the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) tally.
Following the correction, 15 deaths are now attributed to Operation Epic Fury, while six are listed as military deaths during overseas operations. The category of military deaths during overseas operations was established after US President Donald Trump declared Operation Epic Fury ended, despite ongoing hostilities. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed The Washington Post's report as "a complete lie," labeling the outlet "worse than Iranian state media."
However, US House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith and Military Personnel Subcommittee Ranking Member Chrissy Houlahan criticized the error, stating that requiring Congress to correct such a significant mistake is an embarrassment for the Department of Defense. They remain committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in future casualty reporting.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
