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The Washington Post, citing multiple US officials, reported that at least 22 US service members have died in the war with Iran—four to five more than the Pentagon's publicly listed figure of 18. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly denied the report, calling it a 'complete lie,' while separate reporting noted lost F-35 parts rerouted through Hong Kong raising concerns about Chinese access to sensitive technology. The discrepancy has fueled scrutiny of the Pentagon's transparency around casualties in the ongoing conflict with Iran, which began earlier this year and has drawn in US forces across the region. The dispute adds to broader questions about the war's toll and the administration's public accounting of it.