Pentagon says nearly 100 US soldiers hurt in Iran retaliatory strikes

The Pentagon has revealed that nearly 100 American service members were injured in recent attacks by Iran. The announcement came on Monday after days of escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the injuries occurred since July 7. He added that most were minor concussions and 96% of the injured troops have returned to duty. The disclosure followed a New York Times report that the Pentagon had hidden the number of casualties, which Parnell denied. Iran has been targeting US military bases in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, and Kuwait in response to US airstrikes. The US has been conducting nightly strikes on Iranian targets. Over the weekend, three US soldiers were killed in a ballistic missile attack on a base in Jordan. Another soldier died in Iraq during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone. The violence marks a breakdown of a ceasefire that was signed in June. Both sides have blamed each other for the renewed fighting. Iran has said it is ready for a US ground invasion, while the US continues its airstrikes to weaken Iran's military capabilities. President Donald Trump said the latest US strikes were carried out in honor of the killed soldiers. He claimed Iran has been badly damaged militarily. Iran reported strikes near the city of Bushehr, home to a nuclear plant, and called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to condemn the attacks.