- Six U.S. service members were killed in a direct strike on a temporary operations centre at Shuaiba Port in Kuwait, according to the United States Central Command
- The attack marks the first American combat fatalities since the start of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing U.S. military campaign against Iran
- U.S. officials say additional troops were wounded, and the names of the fallen are being withheld pending family notification
Legit.ng Journalist Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award winner, with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance, and accountability in Nigeria.
Six American service members have been confirmed killed following a direct Iranian strike on a temporary U.S. military operations centre at Shuaiba Port in Kuwait, according to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM).
The attack, which occurred shortly after 9 a.m. local time on Sunday, marks the first U.S. combat fatalities since the start of the military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury.
Read also
Iran hits US embassy in Saudi Arabia in fresh drone Strikes, Trump reacts
Source: UGC
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the projectile struck a fortified tactical operations centre, with one round breaching air defence systems. U.S. officials had earlier described the strike as a suspected drone attack.
A source familiar with the incident said the facility — a makeshift triple-wide trailer structure used as an operations hub — sustained a direct hit at its centre.
The strike reportedly came without warning sirens, giving personnel no time to seek shelter.
Fire continued to burn in sections of the structure hours after the blast. The building’s interior was described as severely damaged, with walls blown outward and parts of the structure charred.
Satellite imagery captured Sunday morning showed smoke rising from the port facility following the explosion.
Death toll rises to six
CENTCOM initially reported three fatalities but later confirmed that the death toll had increased to six after recovery teams located the remains of two additional service members who were initially unaccounted for.
“U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from the facility that was struck during Iran’s initial attacks,” the command said in a statement.
The names of the deceased have not yet been released, pending notification of their families.
The troops were assigned to the 1st Theatre Sustainment Command, headquartered at Fort Knox, Kentucky, with personnel deployed on rotational assignments.
Wider military impact
In addition to the six fatalities, CENTCOM reported that 18 U.S. troops have been seriously wounded since operations began.
Speaking to reporters, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine described the fallen personnel as “the best that our nation has to offer” and extended condolences to their families and units.
Source: Getty Images
President Donald Trump and senior defence officials have acknowledged that further casualties remain possible as hostilities continue.
The strike represents a significant escalation in direct attacks on U.S. forces in the Gulf region and underscores the expanding scope of the confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
Iran releases names of top officials killed
Legit.ng earlier reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and several top military and security officials were confirmed killed following coordinated US-Israel strikes.
Iranian authorities and the Israeli military released the names of senior figures said to have died in the attacks.
Meanwhile, Tehran reported over 200 casualties nationwide and pledged retaliation against US and Israeli interests.
Source: Legit.ng