U.S. names first troops killed in Iran conflict after Kuwait drone strike; death toll rises to six
The U.S. military on Tuesday identified four of the six soldiers killed when an unmanned aircraft system evaded air defenses and struck a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on Sunday — the first American troop fatalities acknowledged since the United States launched a new war against Iran with Israel.
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U.S. Central Command initially reported three deaths in the attack. Officials said Monday the toll had risen to six after one wounded service member died and two more bodies were recovered from the rubble.
The four confirmed dead — all Army Reserve soldiers — were named as:
- Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Florida, who previously deployed to Saudi Arabia, Guantanamo Bay and Poland.
- Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Nebraska, who had deployed to Kuwait twice before.
- Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of Minnesota, who previously served in Kuwait and Iraq.
- Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Iowa, who enlisted three years ago and was posthumously promoted from specialist.
The names of two additional service members killed in the strike have not yet been released pending next-of-kin notifications.
In a Monday briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a “powerful weapon” hit a “tactical operations center that was fortified.” Three U.S. military officials with direct knowledge of the attack told CBS News the troops were working in a makeshift office area. They questioned whether the structure was adequately hardened, saying a trailer served as an office with 12-foot, steel-reinforced concrete barriers positioned to shield it.
Washington maintains a long-standing defense relationship with Kuwait, and more than 13,000 American troops are stationed in the Gulf nation. The Port Shuaiba strike comes amid an escalated regional confrontation, with Iran responding to attacks against it by launching missiles at U.S.-aligned Gulf states. Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar have also reported incoming strikes in recent days.
Separately in Kuwait on Monday, three U.S. fighter jets were downed in what the Pentagon described as a “friendly fire” incident. Video circulating on social media showed aircraft spiraling toward the ground; all pilots ejected and survived, U.S. officials said. Iran’s state media claimed, without evidence, that Iranian forces shot down the jets.
The Port Shuaiba attack is the deadliest single incident for U.S. forces since hostilities with Iran intensified. The military said the investigation into how the unmanned aircraft penetrated defenses and whether the site’s protections were sufficient is ongoing.
As families await final identifications and casualty notifications, the Pentagon has not announced any changes to force posture in Kuwait. Officials emphasized that base defenses across the region are being reviewed in light of the strike and the friendly-fire mishap.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
