The Pentagon has added Operation Epic Fury to its casualty database, as of April 3 showing 365 U.S. troops wounded in action and 13 killed.
The update marks the first time the Department of Defense has publicly included Operation Epic Fury in its official casualty tracking system, offering the clearest snapshot yet of the human toll tied to the operation. The figures provide new insight into how the military is tracking wounded and killed troops as the conflict unfolds.
The update follows weeks of rising casualty reports tied to the operation. On Friday and into Saturday, a search remained ongoing for one of two F-15E crew members taken down in Iran. U.S. officials said March 1 that three service members had been killed and five seriously wounded. By March 2, the number of those killed had risen to six.
Reporting later in March put the death toll at 13 and the number of wounded near 300, highlighting a steady increase as the operation expanded.
Military.com sought clarification on how the Pentagon defines those killed in action, died of wounds, or non-hostile deaths. A Defense Department duty officer directed questions to U.S. Central Command.
Army Accounts for Largest Share of Wounded
The newly released data shows the U.S. Army accounts for the largest share of troops wounded in action in Operation Epic Fury, with 247 of the 365 total casualties.
The Navy accounts for 63 wounded, followed by the Air Force with 36 and the Marine Corps with 19.
The figures provide one of the first service-by-service breakdowns of casualties tied to the operation, showing how losses are distributed across the force as the conflict continues.
The total death toll remains at 13, according to the Defense Department database, underscoring a wide gap between fatal and nonfatal casualties.
How the Pentagon Counts War Deaths Is Under Scrutiny
The casualty data is maintained through the Defense Casualty Analysis System, the Pentagon’s official system for tracking U.S. military deaths and injuries.
Military.com reached out to the Defense Manpower Data Center, which manages the system, along with Army, Navy and Air Force casualty offices, seeking clarification on how fatalities are categorized and whether those definitions are applied consistently across the services.
Key distinctions include killed in action, died of wounds and non-hostile deaths. Those categories can shape how the military evaluates battlefield risk and communicates the cost of war.
How deaths are classified can also influence how casualty figures are understood by policymakers, commanders and the public as operations unfold.
Casualty data is often updated over time as cases are reviewed, classifications are refined, and additional injuries or deaths are confirmed. Early totals can shift as the Pentagon builds a more complete picture of the conflict.
Those updates will be closely watched as a key indicator of the operation’s trajectory, offering insight into the scale, intensity and risks facing U.S. forces.
