Eight US Marines injured in Iranian attack in Hormuz as number of wounded service members surges to 861

Eight US Marines were injured in an Iranian attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, NBC News reported citing sources on Sunday evening. The Marines did not sustain serious injuries in the cruise missile attack on the vessel, but suffered smoke inhalation and showed symptoms of concussions, including headaches, the report said.

The Marines were not aboard a US Navy ship, and the officials did not confirm what type of vessel it was. All eight service members returned to duty soon after the missile hit. Seven of the service members were enlisted Marines and one officer. The attack reportedly occurred on September 14, but the Defense Department did not disclose any such attack taking place.

Over 800 US troops injured

The total number of US troops injured in the Iran war has reached 861, according to data from the Pentagon as of Wednesday (September 23). The count includes the eight Marines wounded in the September 14 attack.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, has remained a key site of military conflict since the US-Iran war began in late-February.

Pentagon accused of downplaying injuries

The Defense Department is accused of misrepresenting the number of service members killed amid the war in Iran. On Friday, a report by the Washington Post said that at least four US service members killed in the Middle East since the start of the war were not included in the official casualty toll.

The Pentagon also faces the accusation of downplaying injuries suffered by soldiers. Speaking to CBS News, one service member described suffering severe shrapnel wounds and undergoing several emergency surgeries in Kuwait, though a US Army official told his wife that the injuries were "minor."

US military refutes allegations

The US military has strongly objected to the claims, saying that military designations, such as "not seriously injured" and “combat casualty", have specific definitions that have been misconstrued.

"The care and well-being of our soldiers is of the highest priority," an army spokesperson told CBS. "Any assertion that the army seeks to downplay a soldier's injuries is simply not true," the spokesperson added.