More Than 750 US Service Members Wounded in Iran War

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

More than 750 US service members have been wounded since the United States launched its war against Iran on February 28, according to the Defense Department's casualty database.

The Pentagon updated its Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) on Wednesday, recording more than 50 additional wounded service members as negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain deadlocked.

According to the DCAS database, 18 US service members have been killed and 757 wounded since the start of the war when casualties listed under "Overseas Operations" are combined with those recorded under Operation Epic Fury.

The Defense Department created the "Overseas Operations" category in the DCAS database last month to record service members killed or wounded "starting July 7."

The July 7 date corresponds with the Trump administration's notification to Congress that a new war on Iran had begun under the War Powers Act.

The Pentagon has previously faced scrutiny over its reporting of US casualties during the war.

In July, the number of service members listed as killed and wounded in the DCAS database declined even as Iranian attacks continued, with four deaths and dozens of injuries temporarily disappearing from the figures.

The Defense Department attributed the changes to "temporary data disruptions" in a social media post at the time.

According to CNN, the Pentagon has also been slow to disclose wounded US service members throughout the conflict, with officials citing security concerns.

The latest casualty figures come as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran remain stalled.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the situation with Iran was "so good," even as his administration paused negotiations with Tehran and tensions continued around the Strait of Hormuz.

The waterway remains a major point of tension amid the ongoing war, as it continues to factor into efforts to reach an agreement and end the fighting.

Global fuel supplies are also coming under increasing pressure as the war on Iran and the confrontation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz disrupt crude and refined fuel flows.

CNN reported Wednesday that the disruption has expanded from an oil supply shock into a broader fuel crisis affecting gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel markets.

"This is man-bites-dog news. The market is screaming that we're short," Bob McNally, founder and president of Rapidan Energy Group, told CNN.