Author: Phil Stewart and Idris Ali
WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) – As many as 150 U.S. troops have been injured in the 10-day war with Iran, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
The number of casualties has not been previously reported. Before Reuters released the figure, the Pentagon had disclosed only eight U.S. personnel were seriously injured.
In a statement following the Reuters report, the Pentagon estimated the number of injured at about 140 and said the vast majority were minor injuries.
“Approximately 140 U.S. service members have been injured in 10 days of sustained attacks since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury,” said Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman.
He said 108 injured service members had returned to duty.
Parnell said the eight seriously injured service members were receiving the highest level of medical care.
Reuters could not determine the type of injuries and whether they included traumatic brain injuries, which are common after explosions.
Since the conflict broke out on February 28, Iran has launched retaliatory attacks on U.S. military bases, attacked diplomatic missions as well as hotels and airports in Arab Gulf states, and damaged oil infrastructure.
The Pentagon says the number of Iranian attacks has dropped sharply since the war began, as U.S. forces bombard Iran’s weapons stockpiles and target Iran’s limited number of missile launchers.
When asked whether Iran is a more powerful adversary than he expected when the United States cooperates with Iran? Gen. Dan Kaine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters earlier Tuesday that the fighting was not tougher than expected and that the military had a war plan in place.
“I think they’re fighting, and I respect that, but I don’t think they’re more powerful than we thought,” Kaine told a Pentagon briefing.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idris Ali; Editing by Franklin Paul and Deepa Babington)