The Pentagon had delayed releasing the number of injured US troops, and some fallen and wounded personnel had even disappeared from the Defense Casualty Analysis System database.
On August 4, sources from the United States revealed that two Democratic members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Hegseth, questioning the Pentagon’s methodology and transparency in reporting US military casualties in the Iran conflict, and stated that an investigation is underway.
The two lawmakers noted that the Pentagon had long withheld the number of injured American troops, and at one point, records of both fallen and wounded personnel were removed from the Defense Casualty Analysis System database. In response, the Pentagon attributed these changes to a “technical error,” subsequently restored the data, and added a new category called “overseas operations” to record casualties occurring after July 7.
The lawmakers pointed out that this date aligns with when the Trump administration submitted a War Powers Act notification to Congress, declaring that the new phase of the Iran conflict began on July 7. They are now questioning whether the Pentagon is using this timing as a loophole to circumvent the War Powers Act.