Six American soldiers were killed Sunday in an Iranian missile strike on a US military facility in Kuwait, the Pentagon confirmed Monday.
Initially, US Central Command reported three fatalities, but the death toll rose after one soldier succumbed to injuries and two additional bodies were recovered from the rubble.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strike hit a “tactical operations centre that was fortified” but provided no further details on the exact location.
Three US military officials told CBS News the soldiers were inside a makeshift office, protected by 12-foot steel-reinforced concrete barriers, raising questions about the building’s fortifications.
The incident marks the first confirmed American combat fatalities since the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran.
More than 13,000 US troops are stationed in Kuwait as part of the longstanding defence partnership with the Gulf nation.
Iran has retaliated against US-led strikes by launching missiles at US-allied Gulf countries, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, and Qatar.
Separately, three US fighter jets were downed in Kuwait on Monday in an incident initially described as “friendly fire.” All pilots ejected safely. Iran state media claimed responsibility, though no evidence was provided.
