CENTCOM: Four U.S. service members killed in Kuwait strike
CENTCOM says four U.S. service members died in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait and 18 were seriously wounded; identities are being withheld as investigations continue.
CENTCOM announced Monday that four U.S. service members were killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait, marking the first American combat deaths in the widening war with Iran. The military said the fourth service member had been seriously wounded in the initial barrage and later succumbed to injuries, bringing the toll to four killed and 18 service members seriously wounded during the operations.
The deaths occurred when an incoming munition struck a tactical operations center in Kuwait, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters. Hegseth said the strike underscored the scale of the threat, saying Iran had the ability to “project power against us and our allies in ways that we can't tolerate.” He warned the timetable for the campaign remained fluid: “It could move up. It could move back.”
CENTCOM and its spokespersons have withheld the identities of the dead pending family notification. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesman, put the number of seriously wounded at 18. The command said “major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing.”
U.S. forces and Kuwaiti officials described the episode as part of a broader Iranian retaliation that struck across the Gulf. Kuwaiti state media reported air defenses intercepted “the majority of drones” near the Rumaithiya and Salwa neighborhoods of Hawalli Governorate, where the U.S. Embassy is located. Multiple governments reported damage and casualties across the region, and Qatar’s state energy company temporarily halted liquefied natural gas production after an attack on its facilities.
The incident in Kuwait was complicated by aviation losses and apparent friendly-fire events. The U.S. military said three U.S. fighter jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses in what was described as an apparent friendly-fire incident. Kuwait’s Defense Ministry acknowledged that an unspecified number of American warplanes had crashed, saying crew members survived and were being treated in stable condition. Officials said Kuwait was coordinating with U.S. counterparts on an investigation.
The fighting has already produced substantial civilian and military tolls across the region. The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported at least 555 people killed inside Iran, and authorities in Israel reported 11 deaths, according to regional tallies released by local agencies. U.S. officials warned the conflict could produce more American casualties; President Donald Trump said, “Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is,” and earlier suggested the war might last “four to five weeks.”
At the Pentagon, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine addressed the nation, offering reassurance about U.S. forces: “To the American people, your joint force remains steady, frosty, calm and focused. Your service members are trained, disciplined and determined.” He acknowledged the burden on families and on the broader military posture as operations expand.
Investigations into the precise sequence of events in Kuwait, the type of munitions that struck the operations center, and the causes of the aircraft losses are underway. CENTCOM and Kuwaiti authorities said they are coordinating on inquiries, and military officials emphasized that casualty figures and operational assessments remain subject to revision as investigators collect forensic evidence.
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