Pentagon Revises U.S. Casualty Figures in Iran Conflict

Darwin, 27 July : The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) has revised its casualty figures for American forces in the ongoing conflict with Iran, adding reports of more than 140 additional wounded service members. It has also reinstated the names of four U.S. troops who were killed last week, according to CNN.

According to the Pentagon’s updated figures, Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, has so far resulted in 18 U.S. service members killed and 624 wounded, bringing the total number of casualties to 642.

Previously, the Pentagon’s Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) listed 482 wounded personnel. Questions about the transparency of the Pentagon’s reporting arose after casualty figures on the website appeared to decline despite fresh Iranian attacks last week.

Following the discrepancy, 12 Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee requested an explanation from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez said the inconsistency was caused by a temporary technical issue with the DCAS website.

Meanwhile, the DCAS has added a new category titled “Overseas Operations.” The section now includes the names of three U.S. service members killed in an Iranian attack in Jordan and another soldier killed in northern Iraq in an explosion caused by an Iranian drone.

However, the Pentagon has not provided further details on the specific period of conflict covered by the newly added category.

The administration of President Donald Trump has also argued that, following the April ceasefire, the 60-day legal time limit for conducting military operations under the War Powers framework began anew on May 1. However, several lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties have rejected that interpretation.

They argue that by restarting the legal clock based on the ceasefire, the administration is attempting to circumvent constitutional limits on conducting military operations without congressional authorization.