Twenty-nine sailors and 9 Marines were wounded in action in September in Middle East military operations, according to a Pentagon database.
The Defense Casualty Analysis System updated its “Overseas Operations” category, which tracks injuries and deaths for troops involved in Middle East operations.
In its updated accounting method, the Pentagon moved deaths that were previously listed under the “Operation Epic Fury” category into the “Overseas Operations” umbrella.
The reclassification aligned with the Pentagon’s stance that Operation Epic Fury ended May 5.
“Since Operation Epic Fury concluded, the department classifies casualties as having occurred in Overseas Operations in the [U.S. Central Command] area of responsibility,” a defense official told Military Times.
The Trump administration has maintained that current U.S. military operations in the Middle East are not a continuation of Operation Epic Fury, which began on Feb. 28 when the U.S. launched coordinated military strikes with Israel against Iran.
Since the Iran war began, 19 U.S. service members have died with 418 injured. Five service members have died since Operation Epic Fury concluded.
Since May 5, 443 service members have been wounded in action while military operations in the Middle East have continued.
The Defense Casualty Analysis System is run by the Defense Manpower Data Center, which relies on military-provided data to report injured and fallen service members.
The Navy declined to provide more specifics about the circumstances surrounding this month’s uptick in sailors and Marines wounded in action.
“Due to standard verification protocols, updates to the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) have registered a recent statistical increase in Navy casualties,” a Navy official told Military Times. “The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and Navy Casualty officials have fully validated reports to ensure accurate service records.”
NBC News, citing three U.S. officials, reported that eight of the nine Marines were injured after an Iranian cruise missile attacked the ship they were operating on in the Strait of Hormuz. The Marines, the outlet reported, suffered minor injuries, ranging from smoke inhalation to possible concussions.
All 29 sailors returned to active-duty status, the Navy official said.
