Pentagon Identifies 4 of 6 Troops Killed in Kuwait Drone Strike

The attack on a temporary operations hub in Port Shuaiba left 6 U.S. service members dead.

Mar. 4, 2026 at 5:46am

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The Pentagon has released the names of four of the six U.S. troops killed in a drone strike in Kuwait on Sunday. The soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa and were killed "during an unmanned aircraft system attack" at a temporary operations hub in Port Shuaiba. The death toll has risen to six after the remains of two previously missing service members were recovered from the wreckage.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, and the risks faced by American troops stationed in the Middle East. The attack on a temporary military operations center raises questions about force protection and whether enough was done to secure the facility against potential threats.

The details

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that a "powerful weapon" struck the "tactical operations center that was fortified." Sources indicate that some officials had raised concerns about the use of the makeshift operations hub, feeling it was not adequately defended and concentrated too many service members in a small space.

  • The drone strike occurred on Sunday, March 2, 2026.
  • The Pentagon released the names of 4 of the 6 killed troops on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.

The players

Pete Hegseth

The U.S. Defense Secretary.

103rd Sustainment Command

The military unit that the 4 identified troops were assigned to, based in Des Moines, Iowa.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The Pentagon is expected to release the names of the remaining two service members killed in the attack in the coming days.

The takeaway

This tragic incident underscores the ongoing risks and challenges faced by U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East, and the need for robust force protection measures to safeguard personnel at temporary or makeshift military facilities.