The Pentagon has revealed that 11 U.S. service members received treatment for concussions from an Iranian missile strike on Jan. 8.
The New York Times reported on Monday that U.S. soldiers were treated for concussions after the attack. The Pentagon confirmed the report Thursday evening and said nearly a dozen troops were medevaced to Germany this week for treatment, according to Defense One.
Tehran launched ballistic missiles at two Iraqi military bases were U.S. soldiers were stationed on Jan. 8. During the attack, an Iranian missile struck a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 passengers and flight crew on board.
After the attack, President Trump and administration officials said that no U.S. or Iraqi soldiers had died in the attack or suffered severe injuries.
“Most importantly, [there were] no casualties, no friendly causalities, whether they are U.S., coalition, contractor, etc.,” senior administration military officials told reporters on Jan. 8.
On Jan. 16, a U.S. military spokesman said, “As previously stated, while no U.S. service members were killed in the Jan. 8 Iranian attack on Al Asad air base, several were treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are still being assessed.”
Iran launched the Jan. 8 attack in retaliation for a Jan. 2 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Trump ordered the strike to kill Soleimani after Soleimani orchestrated a violent protest that damaged the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
