Number of US troops wounded in war against Iran rises to about 200

The number of US troops wounded in the war against Iran has risen to about 200, the US military said on Monday, as the conflict entered its third week.

The US 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.

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Thirteen US troops have been killed since Iran launched strikes against US 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 US 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 US 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 US Air Force 16 years ago, can be equipped with weapons such as air-to-ground missiles.

With Reuters

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