According to a report in the New York Times, in the week before the Iranian attack in Jordan, in which two American soldiers were killed and another soldier was declared missing, Iran carried out three additional attacks against American forces in the country. These attacks, according to American officials, led to the injury of dozens of American military personnel and damage to several helicopters, but the Pentagon did not release the information to the public.
1+U.S. officials involved in the matter said the earlier attacks were never revealed, nor were the number of casualties or the extent of the damage. The Times noted this is another example of the growing tension between the Pentagon’s need to protect operational security and the administration’s obligation to keep the public informed about the conduct of the war with Iran.
After recent U.S. strikes on military targets in Iran, U.S. Central Command said the operation was carried out in response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. But according to the report, official statements made no mention of Iranian attacks on bases where American forces are stationed, including bases in Jordan.
1+A U.S. military official told the paper that Central Command is not required to release information about wounded troops, especially when the service members quickly returned to duty. Another official explained that disclosing such information could help Iran more accurately target its missile and drone attacks on American bases in the Middle East.
According to U.S. Central Command, more than 400 U.S. military personnel have been wounded since the start of the confrontation with Iran. The Pentagon previously reported from time to time on the number of troops injured and returned to service, but in recent weeks stopped updating the overall figure.
The Times noted that since the collapse of the ceasefire, the Pentagon has provided very little information about U.S. military strategy after nearly five months of fighting. The Pentagon’s last significant briefing on the subject was in early May.
In a statement released after Friday’s attack, Central Command said four wounded American soldiers were taken to hospitals in Jordan and later released. The statement said additional troops were lightly wounded and returned to duty, but did not provide their number. The statement also did not refer to military personnel wounded in the three earlier attacks.
President Donald Trump addressed the deaths of the two soldiers, saying they were killed “in service to our country.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on social media that the loss of the troops would strengthen America’s resolve.