- The Department of Defense has officially released the names of four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed during an Iranian unmanned aircraft system attack on a tactical operations center in Kuwait.
- The fallen soldiers, all assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, have been identified as Capt. Cody A. Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady.
- Two additional service members were killed in the same incident, but their identities are currently being withheld pending next-of-kin notification, bringing the total confirmed U.S. death toll to six in the opening phase of the conflict.
The Pentagon has identified the first American service members to lose their lives in the escalating war with Iran, a campaign the U.S. military has designated “Operation Epic Fury.” The four soldiers, all members of the U.S.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Army Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa, were killed on Sunday during a targeted drone strike at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
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The attack struck a tactical operations center where the personnel were stationed, marking a deadly expansion of the conflict’s regional footprint.
Among those honored is 35-year-old Capt. Cody A. Khork of Winter Haven, Florida, a highly regarded officer with a history of deployments to Saudi Arabia, Guantanamo Bay, and Poland.
His family described him as “deeply patriotic” and a leader who took immense pride in serving a cause greater than himself.
The other fallen heroes include Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and 20-year-old Sgt. Declan J. Coady of West Des Moines, Iowa, who was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant in recognition of his service.
The fatal strike in Kuwait underscores the high stakes of the military campaign, which began Saturday with a massive U.S.-Israeli operation that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In the days following the assassination, Iran has launched various retaliatory strikes against U.S. assets and allied nations across the Middle East.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the deadly incident in Kuwait is under formal investigation, while the number of seriously wounded U.S. service members has decreased to ten as they undergo intensive medical treatment.
In a sobering televised address, President Trump offered his condolences to the families of the fallen while warning the American public that more casualties are likely as the mission continues.
He indicated that combat operations are expected to last for another four to five weeks, with the primary objectives being the total dismantling of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.
As the nation mourns its first official casualties of the war, military commands throughout the region remain on high alert for further retaliatory actions from Tehran’s remaining military forces.
