Pentagon: Iran Missile Strike Leaves 109 US Troops With Brain Injuries

More than 100 members of the U.S. armed forces have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from the after-effects of the ballistic missile attack carried out by Iran on Iraq early last month, Pentagon said.

The Pentagon said Monday that a total of 109 U.S. troops were treated for mild TBI after the missile attack. Out of these, 76 military members have returned to active duty, 26 members were being treated in the U.S. and Germany and 7 members were on their way to Germany from Iraq to be evaluated further.

The number has been on the rise since the Pentagon began releasing data on the military members who were injured in the attack at al-Asad Air Base in Iraq on Jan. 8. The current numbers were significantly higher than last week, which showed 64 troops were treated for traumatic brain injuries, AP News reported.

According to officials in the Pentagon, this number is set to change in the future. The symptoms of TBI from the Iranian missile attack sometimes won’t be visible for a year or two, Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told AP News. The numbers were bound to change as the army was in the early stages of diagnosis and therapy for the troops.

Pentagon press secretary Alyssa Farah praised the medical professionals in a statement released Monday, saying their care enabled 70 percent of those diagnosed with TBI to return to duty.

According to Defense Secretary Mark Esper studies were being carried out by the department on ways that can help prevent brain injuries on battlefield and help diagnose and treat the condition in a better way.