Nearly 290 US troops wounded in Iran operation, 13 killed: CENTCOM

Nearly 290 US service members have been wounded since the start of Operation Epic Fury, the US military campaign against Iran, a Central Command spokesman confirmed Tuesday. The figures provide the first official account of American casualties in the conflict now in its fifth week.

Casualty details

"The vast majority of these injuries have been minor, and more than 255 troops have already returned to duty," Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins told Anadolu in a statement. In addition to the wounded, 13 US service members have been killed since operations began. The relatively low death toll compared to the number of wounded suggests effective battlefield medicine and protective measures, though the conflict continues to exact a toll on American forces.

Conflict context

Operation Epic Fury was launched Feb. 28 as the US and Israel began a joint offensive against Iran. The campaign has killed more than 1,300 people in Iran, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Tehran has carried out sustained drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, exposing American forces to ongoing risk.

Ongoing operations

As the conflict continues with no diplomatic resolution in sight, US forces remain engaged in what CENTCOM has described as an operation to degrade Iranian military capabilities. The casualty figures released Tuesday reflect the human cost of the campaign for American service members deployed in the region.