Iran war toll: 8 US Marines injured in missile strike as 8 Navy sailors survive suicide attempts

WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: Eight US Marines were injured in an Iranian missile strike in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, while eight personnel linked to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during a prolonged deployment.

The two incidents are separate. But both have drawn attention to the risks faced by US service members during the ongoing conflict with Iran.

On September 14, an Iranian missile struck a nonmilitary vessel carrying US Marines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US officials cited by US media.

Eight Marines were injured in the attack. The group included seven enlisted personnel and one officer.

The Marines suffered smoke inhalation and head injuries, including symptoms consistent with concussions, according to reports.

None of the injuries were considered life-threatening. The Marines were later treated and returned to duty.

The incident was not publicly disclosed immediately. Reports said the Pentagon’s casualty records were updated later to include the eight Marine injuries.

The attack happened in the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. The waterway has remained a major flashpoint during the conflict involving Iran and the United States.

Separately, the US Navy has disclosed eight suicide attempts among personnel assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao revealed the figure in a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. The disclosure covered the entire strike group, including the carrier’s crew, air wing personnel, destroyer crews and other attached units.

There were no suicide deaths during the deployment, according to Cao’s letter.

The USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying forces spent an unusually long period at sea during the deployment. The carrier went 286 days without a port call, setting a modern US record for uninterrupted time at sea.

The deployment began in November 2025 and was later extended as the conflict with Iran continued.

Two of the disclosed cases involved sailors attempting to go overboard.

In August, a sailor assigned to the carrier’s air wing went overboard and was rescued. The sailor was later treated and medically evacuated.

In another case in March, shipmates stopped a sailor who was trying to go overboard. That sailor was also medically evaluated and removed from the ship for further care.

The disclosure came after growing questions about the conditions faced by personnel during the extended deployment.

Reports had raised concerns about mental health, food supplies, hygiene and the difficulty of maintaining normal support systems during such a long period at sea.

Cao said the ship had mental health support, including a psychologist, clinical social worker, counsellor and behavioural health technicians. He also said the carrier maintained adequate food supplies, although meal options were temporarily reduced because combat operations limited resupply opportunities.

The disclosure has also prompted questions in Congress about how the Navy handled concerns about the crew’s welfare.

Senators have sought more information about the eight cases, including when they occurred and when senior Navy officials were informed.