Senator Chris Murphy says Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth barred him from entering US military bases in the Middle East. Murphy calls it a cover-up of the true cost of the Iran war.

The Connecticut Democrat says the Pentagon blocked his visit to a Gulf base where he wanted to inspect the damage from the conflict. He argues the administration is hiding the scale of losses from Congress.

The claim comes days after a Congressional Research Service report listed 81 US aircraft lost or damaged since operations against Iran began on Feb. 28.

Murphy has been a vocal critic of the war. He says lawmakers cannot oversee a conflict they are not allowed to see.

The Pentagon has not publicly responded to Murphy’s accusation. The administration has faced growing questions about transparency around the Iran campaign.

Democrata reported Murphy accused the Pentagon of banning him from Middle East bases. The senator says congressional oversight is impossible without access to the sites.