Global
Recent US media reports have revealed details of injuries sustained by eight US Marines on September 14, following an Iranian cruise missile attack targeting a vessel they were operating on in the Strait of Hormuz. This incident was not officially announced by US authorities at the time it occurred, raising questions about transparency in disclosing security events in the region. According to US officials who spoke about the incident, the injuries sustained by the servicemen, comprising seven enlisted personnel and one officer, were not classified as serious. They primarily involved smoke inhalation and symptoms consistent with concussion, such as headaches, which prompted consideration of potential traumatic brain injuries. Nevertheless, the injured returned to duty shortly after the attack. Details clarified that these individuals were part of a Marine landing team, and they were not on board a formal US Navy vessel. The identity or owner of the targeted vessel was not disclosed, being merely described as a "naval vessel." For its part, the US Department of Defense did not issue any official statements regarding its forces being attacked in the region on September 14. A spokesperson for the US Central Command (CENTCOM) declined to comment on the incident, while the Department of Defense referred inquiries to CENTCOM. Information indicates that the injuries of the eight servicemen were added to the Pentagon's Defense Casualty Analysis System approximately ten days after the attack. Available system data, as of Wednesday, reveals 861 US military injuries recorded in the context of what is referred to as the "war with Iran." A US official explained that delays in recording some injuries are common, especially since certain symptoms, particularly those related to brain injuries, may not manifest immediately, and the database is not updated in real-time. Publicly available records lack details regarding the location, timing, or precise circumstances of the injuries. This incident occurs amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where US forces maintain a naval blockade on Iranian ports to prevent commercial vessel movement. In this context, information confirms that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard continues its attempts to target vessels almost daily, coinciding with a gradual increase in commercial navigation through the vital strait.
