More than 100 US service members injured as report alleges Pentagon concealed attack details

A U.S. military official said CENTCOM is not required to release information about injured service members, particularly when they recover quickly and return to duty.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Nearly 100 U.S. service members have been injured in multiple Iranian airstrikes on American bases across the Middle East this month, according to U.S. officials, as a New York Times report alleges the Pentagon concealed information about the attacks.

U.S. officials told CBS News that almost 100 American troops have been wounded since the attacks began earlier this month.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the figures in a statement to CBS News, saying nearly 100 personnel “were deemed to have some degree of injury since July 7, 2026,” adding that 96% have already returned to duty.

“They are determined to get back in the fight. The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions,” Parnell said.

A separate report by The New York Times said previously undisclosed Iranian attacks during the past week wounded dozens of additional U.S. service members and damaged several helicopters.

The newspaper cited U.S. officials who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss operational matters publicly.

According to the report, the Pentagon did not publicly disclose the strikes, the number of casualties, or the damage to aircraft, reflecting what officials described as the ongoing balance between protecting operational security and informing the public during the conflict with Iran.

A U.S. military official said U.S. Central Command is not required to release information about injured service members, particularly when they recover quickly and return to duty.

Another U.S. military official said publicly releasing such information could assist Iran in refining its ballistic missile and drone attacks against U.S. bases in Jordan and other locations across the Middle East where thousands of American troops are stationed.

U.S. officials also said Central Command has stopped announcing the number of targets struck inside Iran during its daily operations for the same reason, arguing that limiting operational details reduces information that could be used by Tehran.

The newly disclosed casualty figures and previously unreported attacks provide a broader picture of the impact Iranian strikes have had on U.S. forces during the current confrontation.