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.
8 US Marines injured after Iranian missile strikes vessel in Strait of Hormuz. (REUTERS)
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. None of the eight was seriously injured, and all returned to duty shortly after the attack.
Marines were not aboard US Navy ship
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.
The officials did not identify the type of vessel involved. They also said the Marines were not aboard a US Navy ship.
The Pentagon did not publicly disclose the September 14 attack when it happened. Details about the strike and the injuries had not previously been reported.
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.
Eight Marines added to US military injury tally
The newly disclosed injuries have also increased the reported number of US service members hurt in the war with Iran.
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.
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.
The officials told NBC News that all eight Marines had returned to duty shortly after the attack.