In its latest report submitted to the US Congress, the Pentagon has mentioned that 18 US soldiers have been killed so far in military operations against Iran, while the number of injured soldiers exceeds 750.

On February 28, 2026, CENTCOM, a combatant command of the US Department of Defence, and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury against the Islamic Republic, carrying out large-scale precision strikes targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities, ballistic missile production, air defences and naval infrastructure. Combining data from the Pentagon’s Defence Casualty Analysis System (DCAS), specifically regarding Overseas Operations, and CENTCOM’s figures for Operation Epic Fury, it appears that 18 soldiers have been killed and 757 wounded since the military campaign against Tehran began in February. Incidentally, the Pentagon added the new category, Overseas Operations, to DCAS in July 2026.

President Donald John Trump has not yet received formal approval from the Congress for the military operation against Iran. He has already sparked controversy and legal friction in US politics by announcing various decisions regarding military operations without the Congress’ authorisation. In such a scenario, reports of over 750 US troops being killed or wounded have reignited the controversy.

The Democrats have blamed President Trump, stating that a President must end unauthorised military deployments within 60 days of notifying the Congress under the War Powers Resolution of 1973. The President can extend the window by 30 additional days, totalling 90 days, by certifying in writing that troop safety requires more time for a safe withdrawal. As usual, President Trump has paid no heed to that timeframe.

It may be noted that the Pentagon submitted the report a couple of months after several US servicemen alleged that their injuries were more severe than their designations implied. As expected, their claim created a rift between what the Pentagon had revealed and troops’ personal accounts. One sergeant claimed that he “absolutely believed” that the Pentagon tried to downplay the strike in Kuwait which killed six US soldiers.

The casualty figures are quite significant as US officials have previously been reluctant to disclose information about wounded personnel, citing operational-security concerns. The Pentagon recently added more than 50 wounded personnel to its database, pushing the number of injured troops to 757. The updated figures have been revealed as negotiations between the US and Iran remain stalled and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue. The casualty figures also highlight the sustained exposure of US forces to Iranian retaliation.

Meanwhile,

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Facebook

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Twitter

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Linkedin

Contact us: kousdas@gmail.com

Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das