U.S. troop casualties in the conflict with Iran have surpassed 600, the Pentagon reported, as combat operations were paused for three consecutive days.
The fighting began on February 28 after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed many of Iran’s senior leaders and has since focused on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which a large share of global oil passes. U.S. Central Command suspended its attacks on Iran after 13 days of strikes against air defenses, coastal surveillance sites, and missile storage facilities. The pause was announced to allow diplomatic discussions to continue and was also linked to concerns about dwindling munitions stockpiles.
Pentagon casualty tracking data show that 624 service members have been wounded across two operations, Operation Epic Fury and “overseas operations,” which started on July 7. Of these, 18 have been killed, including four deaths reported after combat resumed following the collapse of a tentative ceasefire. The majority of the wounded are from the Army.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine and Vice President JD Vance raised concerns about the ability of U.S. forces to sustain operations given the current stockpile levels, noting that the Trump administration inherited a depleted inventory from the previous administration. The administration said it has sufficient weapons to conduct the campaign, while officials also warned that future escalation remains possible. The United Nations ambassador said the strikes were on hold to give talks space but did not rule out further action.
The pause in hostilities has coincided with a modest rise in Brent crude prices, which were around $85 per barrel on Monday, up from June but below the May peak.