Six American service members were killed during the opening phase of the conflict involving the United States and Iran after a drone strike targeted a military facility where they were stationed, according to U.S. military officials.
The attack occurred at a command and logistics location used by U.S. forces in Kuwait, where troops were operating as part of the early stages of the military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury. Authorities reported that the drone struck the facility during the first hours of the conflict, causing multiple casualties among personnel working at the site.
The U.S. Department of Defense later confirmed the identities of the six American service members who lost their lives in the attack.
Those killed were identified as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, from Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, from Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, from White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, from West Des Moines, Iowa; Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, from Indianola, Iowa; and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, from Sacramento, California.
According to military reports, the drone strike directly hit a structure where troops were conducting operational tasks related to communications, logistics, and command coordination. Several other service members were injured during the incident and received medical treatment following the attack.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that the strike was carried out during a wave of retaliatory attacks linked to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Military officials said the situation developed rapidly as hostilities intensified across several locations in the Middle East.
Among the victims was Sgt. Declan J. Coady, the youngest of the six soldiers. Coady, a 20-year-old U.S. Army Reserve IT specialist from West Des Moines, Iowa, had enlisted in 2023 and was later posthumously promoted to sergeant after his death.
Officials stated that the families of the fallen service members were notified before the identities were publicly released, in accordance with Department of Defense procedures.
The deaths of Capt. Cody A. Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, Sgt. Declan J. Coady, Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan represent the first confirmed American military casualties since the conflict began.
Military leaders and government officials have expressed condolences to the families of the fallen troops, while investigations continue into the circumstances of the drone strike and the broader security situation in the region.
The attack has highlighted the growing risks faced by American personnel deployed in the Middle East as the conflict continues to unfold.