The Pentagon late Friday revised its public accounting of U.S. service member deaths tied to operations against Iran, raising the total to 21. The update to the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) added two noncombat fatalities: Army Maj. Sorffly Davius and an unidentified Navy sailor, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Davius, who was assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division at Camp Buehring in Kuwait, died in March from what the military classified as “undetermined causes.” The Pentagon had acknowledged his death earlier this year, noting he had deployed to Kuwait last summer in support of Operation Spartan Shield, but his name did not appear in the DCAS database until now. The delay has fueled criticism from Democrats on Capitol Hill, who argue the department has been slow to disclose casualty information.
The Navy sailor, whose identity was not released, was a woman between the ages of 25 and 30, according to DCAS records. Her inclusion brings the total number of noncombat deaths in the database to at least two, though the Pentagon has not provided a breakdown of combat versus noncombat fatalities.
Since the U.S. war with Iran began in late February, 865 service members have been wounded, according to DCAS. The portal has also been updated to include the death of Sgt. Devin Seibel, who was assigned to the Air Ambulance Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado. Seibel died in late May at Erbil Air Base in Iraq during what the Pentagon described as a “training-related incident.” His death was not initially listed in DCAS but has since been added under Operation Inherent Resolve.
The revisions come after The Washington Post reported last month that more U.S. service members had died in the Middle East during the Iran conflict than the Pentagon had publicly disclosed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sharply rejected the report, calling it “DISGUSTING and FAKE” in a statement that did not address specific discrepancies.
Lawmakers have repeatedly pressed the Pentagon on its casualty reporting since the war began on Feb. 28. The DCAS portal briefly omitted the names of several service members killed by Iranian attacks before restoring them following bipartisan backlash. The episode raised questions about whether the department was downplaying the human cost of the conflict.
This summer, the Pentagon reorganized its casualty data into two categories: one for Operation Epic Fury, the Trump administration’s name for the conflict with Tehran, and another for “Overseas Operations,” which lists casualties occurring after July 7. The split has complicated efforts to track the full toll of the war, as some deaths and injuries now fall under separate headings.
The updated figures are likely to intensify congressional oversight. Democrats have demanded greater transparency from the Pentagon, and the latest additions to DCAS may bolster arguments that the department has not been forthcoming. The White House has not commented on the revised tally.
As the war continues, the accuracy and completeness of the Pentagon’s public casualty data will remain a flashpoint. For now, the DCAS database lists 21 deaths and 865 injuries, but the true number may not be fully known until all cases are reviewed and classified.
