More U.S. troops have died ​during the U.S.-Israeli war ⁠with Iran than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed, the Washington ‌Post reported on Friday (September 18, 2026).

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ‌denied the report.

The Post, ‌citing ⁠five unidentified officials, ⁠reported that there had been at least 22 military fatalities, four ​more than were listed ‌in the data available on the Pentagon’s public database.

The newspaper also reported, citing ‌another unidentified official, that not ​all of the undisclosed deaths were directly tied ⁠to the months-long conflict but involved U.S. personnel ‌who were in West Asia amid ongoing hostilities.

Mr. Hegseth, in a post on X, called the report “a complete LIE.”

The Post did not ‌immediately respond to a request ​for comment. In its story, the newspaper said ⁠the Pentagon had declined to address ⁠its questions about the discrepancy in casualty accounting.