On 10/3, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that most injuries were minor, with 108 service members returning to duty. Eight service members sustained serious injuries and are receiving advanced medical care. This update followed 10 days of "Operation Horrific Fury" against Iran.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), overseeing US military operations in the Middle East, had previously reported at least 7 combat deaths. One soldier also died from a health-related incident in Kuwait on 9/3.
Six of the combat deaths resulted from a drone (UAV) attack on a US field operations center in Kuwait on 1/3. Another soldier died from severe wounds following an attack in Saudi Arabia.
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A US F-35C fighter jet lands on an aircraft carrier in the Middle East in an image released on 11/3. Photo: CENTCOM |
A US F-35C fighter jet lands on an aircraft carrier in the Middle East in an image released on 11/3. Photo: CENTCOM
These figures emerged after two informed sources told Reuters that the total number of US soldier injuries in the Middle East conflict might be as high as 150. The sources did not specify the types or causes of these injuries.
The Middle East has been embroiled in conflict since the US and Israel initiated airstrikes on Iran on 28/2. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) subsequently retaliated, launching missiles and drones at Israel and US bases across Arab nations in the region.
The weaponry employed by Iran suggests US service members' injuries may stem from shrapnel or traumatic brain injuries (TBI) caused by blast pressure. Brain injuries were a common type of casualty in previous conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some cases might not be immediately recorded due to mild initial symptoms or delayed medical examinations.
Iran's retaliatory strikes also destroyed or damaged numerous US and allied military assets, including "god's eye radar" systems valued from hundreds of millions to over one billion USD.
These continuous attacks have also strained the air defense networks of the US and its allies in the Middle East. Observers suggest that Patriot systems in the region face the risk of depleting interceptor missiles, with limited capacity for replenishment.
Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, Al Jazeera, Washington Post)
