Pentagon reduces reported Iran war death toll from 18 to 14 service members

The Pentagon has quietly reduced its official count of American troops killed in the Iran war, from 18 to 14. The change appeared on the Defense Department's casualties website between Wednesday and Thursday. Four names were removed: three soldiers who died in Jordan and one who died in northern Iraq. According to military officials, these four deaths happened after President Trump declared a ceasefire in April, so they were taken out of the count. On Wednesday, the Pentagon confirmed it had received the remains of these four service members. Critics have questioned whether political decisions are shaping how the military reports deaths. The Pentagon has not held a major public briefing on the war since early May.