Eight US Marines were injured after an Iranian anti-ship cruise missile struck a vessel they were operating on in the Strait of Hormuz on September 14, NBC News reported, citing three US officials.
The incident adds to the known record of attacks involving US forces in the region, while the Pentagon has not publicly released details about the vessel, the circumstances surrounding the missile strike or the extent of the Marines’ injuries beyond the information cited by NBC News. None of the eight was seriously injured, and all returned to duty shortly after the attack .
The Marines were part of a battalion landing team and suffered smoke inhalation and possible traumatic brain injuries, including concussion symptoms such as headaches, according to the officials. The officials told NBC News that all eight Marines had returned to duty shortly after the attack.
The eight service members, seven enlisted Marines and one officer, were operating from a vessel in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz when the missile hit, NBC News reported. Details about the strike and the injuries had not previously been reported. The newly disclosed injuries have also increased the reported number of US service members hurt in the war with Iran .
The officials did not identify the type of vessel involved. US Central Command declined to comment to NBC News. The Strait of Hormuz , a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, has remained a key area of military activity during the US-Iran conflict.
The Pentagon did not publicly disclose the September 14 attack when it happened. Pentagon data showed that 861 US service members had been injured in the conflict as of Wednesday, according to NBC News. The eight Marines were added to that tally nearly 10 days after the September 14 attack.
They also said the Marines were not aboard a US Navy ship.
