Eight US Marines injured in Iranian strike in Strait of Hormuz - report

Eight US Marines were injured when an Iranian cruise missile struck a vessel operating in the Strait of Hormuz on September 14, according to three American officials to NBC news. The Pentagon had not previously disclosed the attack.

The Marines, seven enlisted personnel and one officer from a Marine landing unit, suffered smoke inhalation and symptoms consistent with concussions, including headaches. None was seriously injured, and all returned to duty shortly afterward.

Officials said the Marines were not aboard a US Navy vessel but did not identify the ship that was hit. The Defense Department made no public announcement of an attack on American forces in the area that day.

Their injuries were entered into the Pentagon’s casualty tracking system about ten days later. As of Wednesday, the system listed 861 US service members wounded since the war with Iran began. One official said some injuries, particularly concussions, can take days to diagnose.

The disclosure adds to questions about how quickly American casualties have been reported and how the Pentagon has classified them during the conflict.

US forces continue to enforce restrictions on vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. According to a US official, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are still attempting to target ships in the region almost daily.