More Troops Than Thought Had Brain Injuries After Iran Strike

Iran's retaliatory strike on US troops injured more Americans than thought. The Pentagon on Friday said that 34 service members were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries, reports the AP. Of those, 17 are still under medical observation. Eight of that group were shipped back to the Walter Reed Medical Center in the US for treatment, while the other nine are receiving treatment in Germany, per NBC News. The injuries came after Iran fired missiles at an Iraqi air base in retaliation for the US strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.

The injury issue has been in the news because President Trump said in the immediate aftermath of the attack that no US troops were hurt. Then, after a Pentagon update said 11 troops had concussion-like injuries, Trump described them as "not very serious" and as "headaches," adding, "No, I don't consider them very serious injuries relative to other injuries that I've seen." He compared them to troops who had lost limbs in roadside bombs. Of the 34 initially diagnosed, 16 are now back on active duty in Iraq.