Over 100 US troops suffered brain injury in Iran attack: Pentagon

Trump initially downplayed impact of the airstrikes on the US military bases in Iraq

Iran missile attack reuters An explosion is seen following missiles landing at what is believed to be Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq | Reuters

After Iranian General Qasem Soleimani was killed in an airstrike, Iran retaliated with attacking US military bases in Iraq on the 7th and though the US said that there were no casualties, troops were said to be injured.

The Department of Defense on Monday reported that 109 troops have sustained 'mild' traumatic brain injury far more than originally announced when Iran launched missiles at their base in Iraq last month.

 "As of today, 109 US service members have been diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury, or mTBI, an increase of 45 since the previous report," the Pentagon said in a statement on Monday.

And while a lot of them are still undergoing evaluation and treatment, 76 have returned to duty. 

It was only a week later reports surfaced that US troops had experienced concussions and other brain injuries. But President Donald Trump then dismissed the reported injuries as "headaches" and "not very serious." 

Trump initially had also said that no Americans were injured in the strike on the Ain al-Asad base in western Iraq, but it was later reported that 11 troops were injured. 

In an effort to downplay tensions between the two nations, Trump might have tried to conceal information, as there were concerns that an actual war could break out. 

 "We are grateful to the efforts of our medical professionals who have worked diligently to ensure the appropriate level of care for our service members, which has enabled nearly 70 per cent of those diagnosed to return to duty," said Pentagon press secretary Alyssa Farah in a statement on Monday.

Reports of concussions and mild, but traumatic brain injury suggests that impact of the missile attacks were more serious than initial assessment.