Wounded count climbs to 200, US says, as Iran war persists

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative file photo — A U.S. Army HH-60M prepares for a night flight at an undisclosed location, May 9, 2024. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Vincent Levelev via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS))

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali (Reuters)

WASHINGTON, March 16  -  The number of U.S. troops wounded in the war against Iran has risen to about 200, the U.S. military said on Monday, as the conflict entered its third week.

The U.S. military's Central Command said the vast majority of those wounded had suffered minor injuries and 180 troops had already returned to duty. Ten of the injuries are serious, it said.

Troops had been injured in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, and Israel, Central Command added.

Thirteen U.S. troops have been killed since Iran launched strikes against U.S. military bases following ⁠the start of the conflict on February 28. 

Iranian attacks have also struck diplomatic missions, hotels and airports, and damaged energy infrastructure in Arab Gulf states.

Last week, Reuters reported that as many as 150 U.S. troops had been wounded in the conflict, highlighting the danger from Iranian strikes.

The United States, meanwhile, has carried out strikes against more than 7,000 targets in Iran.

About a dozen MQ-9 drones have been destroyed in the war, said a U.S. official on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle can loiter at altitudes of around 50,000 feet for more than 27 hours, gathering intelligence with sophisticated cameras, sensors and radars.

The Reaper, which entered service with the U.S. Air Force 16 years ago, can be equipped with weapons such as air-to-ground missiles.

 (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Rosalba O'Brien // REUTERS // Headline revised by Paul Garraty (OAF Nation))