The United States military has identified the first troops killed in the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, after a drone strike targeted a command centre in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

According to US Central Command, six American soldiers died when an unmanned aircraft system managed to evade air defence systems and strike the facility on Sunday.

Initially, officials reported three fatalities, but the toll rose after one soldier succumbed to injuries and two additional bodies were later discovered in the rubble.

Soldiers identified by US military

On Tuesday, the US military identified four of the six soldiers killed in the attack. They include Capt Cody Khork (35), Sgt Noah Tietjens (42), Sgt Nicole Amor (39), and Sgt Declan Coady (20).

All four served in the US Army Reserve.

Khork, who was based in Florida, had previously been deployed to Saudi Arabia, Guantanamo Bay, and Poland. Sgt Nicole Amor from Minnesota had served earlier in Kuwait and Iraq, while Sgt Noah Tietjens of Nebraska had completed two previous deployments to Kuwait.

Sgt Declan Coady, an Iowa resident, was posthumously promoted from the rank of specialist. He had joined the Army Reserve three years ago.

Command centre targeted in drone strike

During a briefing, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strike involved a “powerful weapon” that hit a fortified tactical operations centre.

However, US military officials later revealed that the soldiers were working in a temporary office structure, reportedly a trailer protected by 12-foot steel-reinforced concrete barriers.

The attack is considered the first confirmed fatal strike against US troops since the United States launched military operations against Iran alongside Israel.

US presence in Kuwait

The United States maintains a long-standing defence partnership with Kuwait, where more than 13,000 American troops are currently stationed.

The region has witnessed rising tensions as Iran launched missiles toward several Gulf countries allied with the United States, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar.

Fighter jets lost in friendly fire incident

In a separate development, the US military confirmed that three fighter jets were downed in Kuwait due to a “friendly fire” incident on Monday.

Video footage circulating online showed the aircraft spiralling toward the ground. All pilots involved successfully ejected and survived, officials said.

Iranian state media later claimed that the Iranian military had shot down the jets, though no evidence has been presented to support the claim.

The incident marks a serious escalation in the growing conflict, which continues to raise concerns about wider instability across the Gulf region.