Amid Iran conflict, ‘non-hostile’ deaths of 2 US airmen raise overseas toll

Two unidentified U.S. airmen died last week in “non-hostile” incidents amid the war in Iran, raising the number of American fatalities since the war began to 23. 

The two airmen are listed under the “non-hostile” category in the Pentagon’s recently updated Defense Casualty Analysis System, or DCAS, meaning their deaths are not related to direct combat operations. One of the deaths was illness- or injury-related, and the other is listed as “pending,” according to the DCAS.

One airman was an active-duty service member, an Air Force spokesperson told Military Times, while the other was in the Air National Guard.

Although typical Department of Defense policy dictates that the names of deceased service members be released to the public 24 hours after next of kin notifications, the Air Force has yet to announce their identities. The spokesperson declined to comment on why their names have been withheld thus far and if the service has been in contact with their families.

Both airmen were white men and mid- to senior-enlisted personnel in E5 to E9 grades, according to DCAS. One was between 31 and 35, while the other was over 35.

One of the airmen passed away in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, which spans from Northeast Africa across the Middle East to Central and South Asia, the spokesperson said.

The other airman died in the United States; however, the spokesperson declined to comment on where the second airman was operating out of and how they were transported to the U.S.

CENTCOM referred Military Times to the Air Force when asked for comment.

The airman whose death is listed as “pending” is under investigation currently, the spokesperson said, but did not specify by which department.

Another service member whose death was listed as “pending” in DCAS was an Army captain who suffered a medical incident while aboard a military flight on the way to Saudi Arabia in late September.

DCAS lists both of the airmen’s deaths under the Overseas Operations category, instead of Operation Epic Fury, with a Pentagon official telling Military Times it is because the U.S. deems Epic Fury as concluded. The Overseas Operations lists the start date as July 7, aligned with the continued U.S. pressure campaign against Iran.

Officials have been tight-lipped on the exact date Epic Fury was considered terminated, but a defense official previously specified May 5 to Military Times.

The Pentagon’s classification of the operation as an Overseas Operation category faced criticism from Democratic members of Congress, who accused Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth of trying to hide the casualties.

The Overseas Operation category now includes eight service members: four listed as hostile and four as non-hostile. Combining the two categories together makes for a total of 23 service members who have lost their lives since the war in Iran began on Feb. 28, with the Epic Fury category listing 15. 

In total, 866 service members have been wounded in action since the war’s beginning across both categories. That includes 417 under Operation Epic Fury and 449 in Overseas Operations, according to DCAS.