"Complete Lie": Pete Hegseth Rejects Report Of Higher US Troop Deaths In Iran War

More US troops have died during the US-Israeli war with Iran than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed, the Washington Post reported on Friday.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth denied the report.

The Post, citing five unidentified officials, reported that there had been at least 22 military fatalities, four more than were listed in the data available on the Pentagon's public database.

The newspaper also reported, citing another unidentified official, that not all of the undisclosed deaths were directly tied to the months-long conflict but involved US personnel who were in the Middle East amid ongoing hostilities.

Hegseth, in a post on X, called the report "a complete LIE."

This is DISGUSTING and FAKE. A complete LIE.

Shame on the Washington Post — they're worse than Iranian state media. https://t.co/vU9OkSOnLB

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) September 18, 2026

The Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In its story, the newspaper said the Pentagon had declined to address its questions about the discrepancy in casualty accounting.
 

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