Official US military death toll for Iran operations rises to 21

The Pentagon has added two noncombat deaths to its official casualty count for operations against Iran. The total in that category rose to 21 deaths, with 865 service members wounded.

RIA Novosti, citing The Washington Post, and other US outlets reported the DCAS database update on October 10. The increase does not mean that two additional troops were recently killed in combat.

The added cases concern a National Guard member who died in Kuwait on March 6 and a Navy service member who died in September. Neither had previously been included in the published total.

A service member who died during a training incident in Iraq in May is counted separately under Operation Inherent Resolve. That case is not included in the figure of 21.

The Pentagon told the newspaper it was adjusting its casualty-accounting methodology. The figure therefore covers a particular operational category rather than every US military death in the Middle East.

US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28. Fighting resumed after a June agreement to halt hostilities, and the conflict remains unresolved.