Duckworth introduces bill to stop Pentagon reclassifying Iran war casualties

Senator Tammy Duckworth is introducing legislation to stop the Pentagon from reclassifying Iran war casualties under a new category, which critics say obscures the conflict’s true toll. The Pentagon moved casualty reporting into an “Overseas Operations” category, separating recent deaths and injuries from earlier totals. Duckworth said she lacks confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s transparency. Eighteen U.S. troops have been killed and 689 wounded since February. The Pentagon says the shift reflects a new fighting phase beginning July 7. Democrats allege it supports an interpretation of the War Powers Resolution avoiding congressional approval limits. Officials attribute changes to technical issues.