US Defends Fourth Rise In Casualty Count After Military Base Attack

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The disclosed number of injured personnel has progressively risen from zero to 64, since the strike on Al Asad air base earlier this month.

The number of confirmed injuries to US personnel at an Iraqi air base has risen for the fourth time since an attack by Iran on the site.

Pentagon officials have confirmed a new total of 64 cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI), following the Iranian strikes on Al Asad air base on 8 January.

President Trump had initially said "no Americans were harmed", but a later statement revealed 11 service personnel had been injured - a figure which was then increased to 34 last week.

This week, the number of cases has increased twice again - first to 50 and now 64.

Senior officials have defended the growing number of disclosed cases.

Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, General Mark Milley, explained why original reports may have been so far from the current figure.

"When we're in a firefight... the very first thing you're focusing on is life and limb," he said.

"When we say 'reported casualties' - we're really talking about killed in action (KIA) and serious injuries like loss of limbs.

"TBI manifests itself over time - it's not necessarily instantaneous."

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper has stood by official numbers released by the US at any given time to date.

"At that time, as reported, there were no casualties - over time you learn things," he said, claiming the injury report was always likely to snowball.

A total of 15 missiles were fired at the two bases, 10 targeting Al Asad, in retaliation for the US assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.