Middle East
140 service members wounded since start of Iran war, but most injuries are minor, Pentagon says
Stars and Stripes
March 10, 2026
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine conducts a press briefing on Operation Epic Fury at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in an emailed statement that about 140 U.S. service members have been wounded in the first 10 days of the conflict with Iran. (James Mullen/Department of Defense)
About 140 U.S. service members have been wounded in the first 10 days of the conflict with Iran, the vast majority of which are minor, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
Of those wounded, 108 have already returned to duty, Parnell said. Eight remain severely wounded “and are receiving the highest level of medical care,” he said.
Seven service members have been killed in combat, one in Saudi Arabia and six in Kuwait. Another soldier died in Kuwait of a medical issue.
The U.S. military has struck more than 5,000 targets across Iran in the first 10 days of Operation Epic Fury, said Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a news conference with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, the 11th day of the conflict.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Tuesday that Iran had yet to see the “most intense” of American military strikes in a bombing campaign that has begun targeting facilities where Iran makes its deadly one-way attack drones.
Later Tuesday, President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the U.S. had “completely destroyed” 10 inactive mine-laying vessels after reports of Iranian action to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil is carried. U.S. Central Command later said that U.S. forces destroyed 16 total mine-laying vessels and released unclassified footage of some of the vessels.
Iran meanwhile launched new attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, and Israel launched more airstrikes on Tehran and in Lebanon.
Since the war began, at least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran, at least 480 in Lebanon and 12 in Israel, according to officials.
Early Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said it had intercepted missiles launched towards the Prince Sultan Air Base, an air facility partly used by the U.S. Air Force.
The United Arab Emirates reported two more deaths as nine drones struck the country, while nearly three dozen other drones and missiles were intercepted, bringing its total to six killed in the conflict.
In Bahrain, authorities said an Iranian attack hit a residential building in the capital, Manama, killing a 29-year-old woman and wounding eight people.
Contributing: Stars and Stripes reporter Lara Korte; The Associated Press.