U.S. toll in Iraq climbs to 1,379

As of Tuesday, at least 1,379 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

At least 1,080 died as a result of hostile action, the Defense Department said. The figures include three military civilians.

The AP count is seven higher than the Defense Department’s tally, last updated at 7 a.m. PST Tuesday.

Since May 1, 2003, when President Bush declared that major combat operations in Iraq had ended, 1,241 U.S. military members have died.