By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) - As many as 150 U.S. troops have been wounded so far in the war with Iran, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
Exclusive-As many as 150 US troops wounded so far in Iran war, sources say
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali
US Troop Casualties and Pentagon Response
WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) - As many as 150 U.S. troops have been wounded in the 10-day-old war with Iran, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
Previously Unreported Casualty Figures
The casualty figure has not been previously reported. Prior to Reuters' publication of the figure, the Pentagon had only disclosed eight U.S. personnel seriously injured.
Pentagon's Official Statement
In a statement after Reuters published its report, the Pentagon estimated the figure to be approximately 140 wounded and said the vast majority of them were minor.
"Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 140 U.S. service members have been wounded over 10 days of sustained attacks," said chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.
Return to Duty and Medical Care
He said 108 of the wounded service members had already returned to duty.
Parnell said the eight seriously wounded service members were receiving the highest level of medical care.
Types of Injuries and Ongoing Concerns
Reuters could not determine the types of injuries and whether they include traumatic brain injuries, which are common after exposure to blasts.
Iranian Retaliatory Strikes and US Response
Iran has launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. military bases since the start of the conflict on Feb. 28. It has also struck diplomatic missions in Arab Gulf states as well as hotels and airports and damaged oil infrastructure.
The Pentagon says the number of Iranian strikes has fallen sharply since the start of the war, as the U.S. military bombs Iran's weapons inventories and targets Iran's more limited number of missile launchers.
Military Assessment of Iran's Capabilities
Asked if Iran was a stronger adversary than he expected when the U.S. military drew up its war plans, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters earlier on Tuesday that the fight was not harder than expected.
"I think they're fighting, and I respect that, but I don't think they are more formidable than what we thought," Caine told a Pentagon briefing.
Reporting and Editing Credits
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali, Editing by Franklin Paul and Deepa Babington)
