Eight U.S. Marines were injured in an Iranian cruise missile attack on a nonmilitary vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on September 14, 2026, according to multiple sources, though the Pentagon initially withheld details about the incident.
The attack, which occurred in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, left seven enlisted Marines and one officer with smoke inhalation and possible traumatic brain injuries, though none were seriously harmed. The Marines were not aboard a U.S. Navy ship at the time, and the type of vessel remains unspecified, according to reports from NBC News and Yahoo.
Pentagon Faces Accusations of Downplaying Injuries
The U.S. military has denied claims that it is underreporting casualties, with a spokesperson stating that designations like not seriously injured
and combat casualty
have specific definitions. However, the Washington Post reported that at least four U.S. service members killed in the Middle East since the war began were not included in the official casualty toll, and a service member described receiving conflicting information about the severity of his injuries.
The care and well-being of our soldiers is of the highest priority,
the spokesperson said, adding, Any assertion that the army seeks to downplay a soldier's injuries is simply not true.
Casualty Numbers Surpass 861, Including the Latest Attack
The Pentagon’s Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) lists 861 U.S. troops wounded in the Iran conflict as of September 23, 2026, including the eight Marines from the September 14 attack. The increase includes 29 Navy sailors and eight Marines, with the Marines’ injuries added to the tally nearly 10 days after the incident, according to NBC News.
The Pentagon did not disclose any such attack taking place, and officials have not provided details about the vessel or the extent of the injuries beyond the initial reports. A spokesperson for the Pentagon referred Mediaite to Central Command, which did not immediately return a message left with CENTCOM.
Iranian Attack and Regional Tensions
The attack occurred amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, which has been a key site of military conflict since the US-Iran war began in late-February. CENTCOM posted a fact check about Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming the regime’s navy
has control of the Strait of Hormuz, countered with FACT: Iran has no navy because American forces sank it. And Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz as evidenced by the thousands of ships that have passed through freely along with more than 1 billion barrels of oil just over the past few months.
The NBC report comes days after Iran pitched a plan to open the strait and resume talks about its nuclear program, a proposal that Trump said he was rejecting because we’re winning tremendously.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Tehran is prepared for a “doomsday war” if hostilities resume.
What Happens Next?
The Pentagon is under increasing scrutiny over its handling of casualty reports, with the Washington Post noting that more U.S. service members have died than officially disclosed. The conflict enters its seventh month with no sign of a ceasefire.