US Death Toll in War Is Higher, Officials Say

The Pentagon's public tally of Americans killed during the US war with Iran may be off by as much as a quarter, reports the Washington Post, which cites six officials familiar with internal Defense Department data. While the Pentagon's online casualty database lists 18 military deaths since the conflict began in February, five of those officials say the real number is at least 22, and a sixth puts it at 23. Those figures do not include three US contractors who have also died. Some of the additional deaths were not on combat missions but occurred in the region during the hostilities. Accounting gaps could affect survivor benefits. US Central Command says more than 820 troops have been wounded. The full Post reporting can be found here.