The Pentagon has underreported the numbers of U.S. service members who have been injured in recent Iran-linked attacks in Iraq and Syria because it doesn't like the narrative that Iran is involved, Rep. Ryan Zinke said on Newsmax Tuesday.
"If you look at the joint maritime operations and Iran is involved," the Montana Republican told Newsmax's "National Report." "You look at the joint maritime operations being conducted off the coast and in the Middle East with China. Probably over 90% of Hamas is funded by Iran. Look at Hezbollah, funded by Iran."
According to news reports, the Department of Defense has announced that the number of American troops who have been injured has gone up to 46, but Zinke commented that "for some reason, this administration continues to underplay their role and in this case underreports injuries to our soldiers."
There is a "huge concern" that the war in the Middle East will expand, given the retaliatory drone strikes in Syria and Iraq while the war is going on in Gaza, said Zinke.
"I believe [Benjamin] Netanyahu said it right," he said. "Israel is at war. Israel is on fire."
In addition to the attacks from Hamas, Israel is facing the potential of strikes from Hezbollah to its north, a "much bigger, much more capable force," said Zinke.
Israel's military is also getting bogged down in street-to-street, urban warfare in Gaza, which is taking a great deal of resources, he added.
"We have a carrier strike group off the coast of Gaza," he said. "Whether or not they [come into] play is up to the president."
There is also the threat of newer weapons systems, including drone technology, he said.
"We've looked at the devastation that's being conducted in Ukraine and in parts of Russia on drone warfare," he said. "It's a different world, but it is absolutely a threat to our troops."
Zinke also Tuesday defended legislation he's proposed that would put a pause on all visas, refugee status and asylum grants for anyone with a Palestinian passport, while revoking entry for people granted visas on or after Oct. 1.
He's come under fire for the proposal, which critics say is discriminatory against Palestinians, but on Newsmax, he insisted he does not hold any "hatred toward any people."
"But I absolutely don't trust the Biden administration to screen or vet anybody," Zinke said. "Remember the C-17s in Kabul? No one knew who was on those airplanes. Our southern border. There are hundreds of people on the terrorist watch list that are crossing our border. So I have zero confidence that this administration is capable of screening or vetting anybody from Gaza … my job is to protect here at home."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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