The Pentagon has been criticised for delaying the public release of information about US military casualties during the ongoing conflict with Iran, with a CNN report claiming that injury figures have often been disclosed days or even weeks after incidents occurred.
According to the report, US Central Command initially provided regular updates on troop injuries during the early stages of the conflict but has since stopped routinely announcing non fatal casualties. As a result, the Defence Casualty Analysis System has become the main official source for casualty information, although its updates have reportedly lagged behind events.
A Pentagon official told CNN that documenting military injuries can take several days or even weeks because cases must go through medical evaluations and administrative reviews before being entered into official records. The official maintained that the casualty database is updated regularly despite the delays.
The report said that since the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid June, the database initially recorded one new military death and 14 wounded personnel. The fatality was identified as Navy Commander Gabriel Edwards, a helicopter pilot who was lost at sea in the Arabian Sea on July 1.
CNN reported that casualty figures appeared to be added in batches rather than immediately after incidents. One injured Air Force member was reportedly listed in a July 13 update, while another update on July 17 included 10 wounded soldiers and three injured sailors.
After CNN published its report, the casualty database was updated again on July 20 with four additional military deaths and 20 more wounded service members.
Despite those updates, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the official database still did not fully reflect the total number of injuries. In a statement posted on social media, he said nearly 100 US service members had been injured since July 7, adding that most suffered minor concussions.
Parnell defended the Pentagon’s approach to releasing casualty information, arguing that providing immediate details about non fatal injuries could give valuable information to adversaries and potentially place more military personnel at risk.
He also said the Pentagon and US Central Command have continued providing regular updates on military operations against Iran. According to Parnell, public statements by President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have also kept the public informed about the objectives and progress of the campaign.
The report also highlighted several recent attacks involving US forces in the region. An Iranian missile strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan reportedly killed two American service members and left another missing. In a separate incident in northern Iraq, another US soldier died during the controlled destruction of a downed Iranian drone.
US Central Command confirmed that one service member was injured during the Iraq operation. It also said four personnel who were treated in hospitals in Jordan following the airbase attack had been discharged after receiving medical care. Officials added that several other military personnel suffered minor injuries but were able to return to duty after medical evaluation.
The latest report has renewed questions about the speed and transparency of casualty reporting during military operations, with critics arguing that delayed disclosures make it more difficult for the public to understand the human cost of the conflict.
