▲ U.S. President Donald Trump attends the dignified transfer ceremony for U.S. service members killed in the Iran war on the 22nd (local time).
Controversy has arisen as the U.S. military is separately tallying the number of casualties from the war with Iran based on the termination date of the armistice memorandum of understanding (MOU).
The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) under the U.S. Department of Defense publishes a database of U.S. military fatalities and injuries by major overseas wars and operation types since World War I.
As of the 27th (local time), the database shows 14 fatalities and 417 injuries for "Operation Epic Fury" (OEFU), which began on February 28.
In response, U.S. media raised suspicions of an intentional cover-up, pointing out that four service members recently killed at U.S. bases in Jordan and Iraq were omitted. These four were recorded under a separate category called "Overseas Operations" (OO).
The record indicates that fatalities and injuries have been tallied starting from the 7th, when the armistice MOU signed by the U.S. and Iran last month was effectively scrapped and the U.S. military resumed airstrikes.
The New York Times reported that this section was newly created the previous day.
It remains unclear whether "Overseas Operations" refers solely to engagements with Iran.
There are 4 fatalities and 207 injuries, and the number of injuries differs from the scale previously announced by the U.S. military.
The Department of Defense's official stance is that Operation Epic Fury ended following the April ceasefire with Iran, and that the recently resumed engagements with Iran are part of a new war.
President Donald Trump also officially notified the U.S. Congress on the 10th that "hostilities with Iran have resumed."
The New York Times reported that President Trump argues this is not a mere extension of the war that began in February alongside Israel, but a new conflict with Iran.
The Associated Press pointed out regarding the Pentagon's posting of separate overseas operation casualty statistics that "it raises questions about whether the casualties suffered by U.S. service members [in the Iran war] are being properly tallied."
Separately, there may be intentions to bypass the War Powers Resolution, which stipulates that the president must end military operations within 60 days without congressional approval.
The New York Times reported that officials in the Trump administration are arguing that "the 60-day clock has reset" based on President Trump's congressional notification of the "resumption of new hostilities with Iran."
A resolution demanding congressional approval for the Iran war based on this act passed the House of Representatives on the 23rd, but was voted down in the Senate on the same day.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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