The Pentagon has added 37 wounded US service members to its public casualty count from the conflict with Iran. However, the US Defense Department has not explained the sudden increase, according to The Washington Post.

The Pentagon's Defense Casualty Analysis System, its official database for military casualties, now lists 861 service members as wounded since the fighting began.

The new entries include 29 Navy sailors and eight Marines. The Defense Department has not disclosed when or how they suffered their injuries. It has also not reported any recent attack or incident involving US forces that could explain the increase.

Officials provide limited information

A Navy official told The Post that all 29 sailors have returned to duty. The official did not provide details about their injuries or explain when the sailors were hurt.

More than half of the 861 wounded service members now fall under the category "Overseas Operations". The Pentagon uses this category for casualties recorded after a ceasefire between the US and Iran collapsed in July.

Earlier casualties appear under "Operation Epic Fury". The Trump administration used that name for the West Asia conflict.

The Post reported that the Pentagon can update its casualty database after a delay. This can happen in cases involving concussions and other brain injuries. Some symptoms may not appear immediately after an injury.

Trump administration downplays conflict

The increase in the number of wounded troops comes as the Trump administration continues to avoid describing the confrontation with Iran as a war. President Donald Trump called the conflict "small potatoes" earlier this month. Vice President JD Vance has also said that "there is no active shooting."

The administration has also faced questions over its reporting of US military deaths linked to the conflict. Last week, The Post reported that as many as five military deaths may have been missing from the Pentagon's official database. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected the report and called it "DISGUSTING and FAKE."

Pentagon death count also rises

The Pentagon's official death count increased from 18 to 19 this week. The latest death involved an Army officer who suffered a medical emergency while travelling to West Asia on September 18.

The Pentagon has not provided a detailed explanation for the newly added wounded cases. The increase has therefore raised fresh questions about how and when military casualties are entered into the official database.