US military identifies six soldiers killed in Iran conflict
The United States military has identified the six service members who lost their lives during the ongoing conflict with Iran after a drone attack struck a command centre in Kuwait.
According to US officials, the soldiers were killed on Sunday when an unmanned aircraft system penetrated air defences and hit a military facility in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. The site is used by US forces operating in the region.
US Central Command had initially reported that three soldiers died in the attack. However, authorities later confirmed that the number rose to six after one of the injured died from wounds sustained in the strike and two additional bodies were recovered from the rubble.
The Pentagon named the fallen personnel as Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54; Major Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45; Captain Cody Khork, 35; Sergeant Noah Tietjens, 42; Sergeant Nicole Amor, 39; and Sergeant Declan Coady, 20. Coady was posthumously promoted from the rank of specialist.
All six were members of the US Army Reserve, which provides logistical and operational support to active-duty military units during overseas deployments.
Four of the soldiers were identified earlier in the week, while Marzan and O’Brien were publicly named on Wednesday.
US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll paid tribute to the service members, saying their sacrifice would not be forgotten.
“These men and women bravely volunteered to defend our country, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he said in a statement.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also confirmed that President Donald Trump plans to attend the dignified transfer ceremony when the remains of the fallen soldiers are returned to the United States, in order to stand with their families during the mourning period.
Captain Cody Khork, who was based in Florida, had previously served in deployments to Saudi Arabia, Guantanamo Bay and Poland. His family said he had aspired to join the military from a young age and enrolled in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programme while in university.
In a statement to the Associated Press, his parents and stepmother described him as someone with an “infectious spirit” who cared deeply for those around him.
Sergeant Nicole Amor, from Minnesota, had earlier deployments in Kuwait and Iraq. Her husband said she had been close to returning home when the attack occurred.
Amor leaves behind two children a son in high school and a daughter in primary school. Her family said she enjoyed spending time gardening and rollerblading with them.
The United States maintains a long-standing defence partnership with Kuwait, where more than 13,000 American troops are stationed.
The drone strike is part of a broader escalation in the conflict between Iran and the United States and its regional allies. In response to recent attacks on its territory, Iran has launched missiles targeting several Gulf countries aligned with Washington, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.
