A source in the US Central Command said that 290 US soldiers were injured during the ongoing military operations with Iran , and 255 of them returned to duty after receiving treatment.
CNN interviews with U.S. troops, both on active duty and in reserve, indicated that many of them feel "weak, overwhelmed and frustrated" as the U.S. continues to fight alongside Israel against Iran.
A military official overseeing the treatment of soldiers evacuated from the Middle East to Germany was also quoted as saying that the troops were suffering from a "lack of protection and poor planning," warning that any ground operation would be an "absolute disaster," adding, "There is no plan for that, and we cannot even fully defend a single ground base on the battlefield." Thirteen U.S. soldiers have been killed so far, including seven as a result of Iranian strikes.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on March 4 that more than 680 US and Israeli soldiers have been killed or wounded since the conflict began.
These developments come as the war between Iran and the US-Israeli alliance enters its 26th day, amid the continued exchange of missile strikes and drones, in addition to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz to ships belonging to the United States, Israel and countries it considers supportive of military action against it.