ASSESSED: US casualty reporting language matches 2020 Al-Asad TBI undercount pattern — true casualty figures likely significantly higher than disclosed

Pentagon initially denied all casualties on Feb 28 before confirming 3-4 KIA on Mar 1, then 6 KIA and 18+ wounded by Mar 2. This mirrors the 2020 Al-Asad pattern where zero casualties was initially reported before 109 TBI injuries were confirmed months later. The linguistic pattern is identical: categorical initial denial followed by incremental disclosure under pressure. With Iran’s internet at 4% connectivity and US military controlling the information environment, independent verification is impossible. The current 6 KIA / 18+ wounded figure should be treated as a floor, not a ceiling.