- Former defense secretary Leon Panetta criticizes the Pentagon for withholding casualty information from the US public, calling it a 'shameful approach'.
- The Pentagon has not held a press briefing for two and a half months, sparking accusations of a cover-up to hide the true cost of the Iran war before midterm elections.
- US troop deaths in Iran have risen to 18, with roughly 430 injuries; the Pentagon initially failed to disclose figures and later blamed a 'temporary data disruption'.
- The Pentagon has increasingly restricted press access, ousting major outlets and imposing escort rules, drawing comparisons to unprecedented hostility toward the media.
- Critics argue the information blackout is a political strategy to shield the public from the war's full economic and human toll, which has already cost $37.5 billion.
- Despite denials from the Pentagon, officials like Panetta assert that the truth will eventually emerge as journalists continue to investigate.