As US military operations against Iran continue, new allegations regarding the number of American soldiers who have lost their lives during the war have sparked debate in Washington. According to a report by the Washington Post, which cites six US sources familiar with the matter, at least 22 US soldiers serving at various bases in the Middle East have died since the fighting began on February 28.
This figure is four higher than the 18 death records contained in the Pentagon's publicly available Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS). One of the sources interviewed for the report claimed that the total loss of life is 23. However, the same source noted that not all of the deaths not disclosed to the public may be directly linked to combat.
DISCREPANCY IN OFFICIAL RECORDS DRAWS ATTENTION
It was reported that as of Friday, the Pentagon's official database contained 18 death records linked to the Iran war and operations in the region. It was stated that 14 of these deaths were listed under the heading "Operation Epic Fury," while four were listed in the "Overseas Operations" category, which corresponds to the ceasefire period that was in effect in July and later ended.
The report alleged that the names of four soldiers were temporarily removed from the official list during the summer, and that the administration later reorganized the classification regarding the conflicts. It was also stated that the Pentagon announced that two US soldiers had died in the Middle East since February in missions not directly linked to the Iran war, but that these deaths did not appear in the DCAS records by name.
Among the publicly disclosed casualties are Sergeant Devin Seibel and Major Sorffly Davius. It was announced that Seibel lost his life in a training accident in Erbil, Iraq, on May 31, and Davius died as a result of a medical emergency in Kuwait on March 6.
HEGSETH RESPONDS HARSHLY TO THE REPORT
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reacted harshly to the Washington Post report on his social media account. Sharing the report, Hegseth stated, "This is disgusting and baseless. It is a total lie. Shame on the Washington Post. They are worse than Iranian state media." The Pentagon did not directly respond to questions regarding the soldier casualties.
According to the allegations, the toll of the war is not limited to loss of life. It was reported that more than 820 US soldiers have been wounded since the start of the conflicts, and that a significant portion of the injuries occurred during counter-attacks launched by Iran against US bases. It was also reported that traumatic brain injuries were detected in a large number of soldiers.
Classifications regarding military casualties are also important in terms of compensation and other rights to be provided to the families of the deceased personnel. For this reason, the difference between official records and the figures voiced by sources is considered a topic that could have not only political but also administrative and legal consequences.
It is also stated that the cost of the war is increasing. According to CENTCOM documents, the cost of the operations reached 43.6 billion dollars as of the beginning of September. It was stated that some US bases in the Persian Gulf were damaged, and that developments around the Strait of Hormuz have created pressure on global energy markets.
The Pentagon's notification processes regarding operations and military casualties have also been brought to the agenda in Congress. It was reported that seven Republican lawmakers joined Democrats to support a symbolic bill to stop the war, while 12 veteran Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives are working on a bill aimed at preventing the alteration or manipulation of military casualty data.
The difference between the 18 deaths in official records and the 22 to 23 casualties mentioned by sources has increased the debate over transparency in US operations in Iran. However, there is not yet a clear picture regarding which of the undisclosed casualties are directly linked to the conflicts.
News Source: 12punto
