Duckworth accuses Hegseth of hiding Iran war casualties, risking families' benefits

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is accused of obscuring the human cost of the Iran war and potentially depriving benefits from families of service members killed in the conflict. Senator Tammy Duckworth said the Pentagon removed recent casualty figures from an internal tracking system, reclassifying them as "Overseas Operations" after Operation Epic Fury was declared over May 5. Four deaths and over 200 wounded were affected, she said. Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, plans to introduce a transparency bill; it is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Senate. The Pentagon defended the reclassification, saying benefits are not determined by the tracking system.