Soldiers and Gold Star families press Army over Kuwait drone strike
Soldiers and families of six troops killed by an Iranian drone in Kuwait in March say warnings were ignored before the attack, AP reports. They want the Army to release its investigation, which was finished in June. It was the deadliest single attack on U.S. troops since the war with Iran began.
Soldiers who survived an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait, and families of those who died, are pressing Army leaders to explain what went wrong, the Associated Press reports.
The March 1 strike at Port Shuaiba killed six U.S. soldiers and wounded dozens more. It was the deadliest single attack on U.S. troops since the war with Iran began on Feb. 28. Among the dead was Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, who had served 36 years.
AP interviewed 13 soldiers who were there. They described warnings about the site that went unheeded. They said an all-clear was given about 20 minutes before the drone hit, around 10 a.m., and that there was no plan for mass casualties. The port sits about 65 miles from Iran.
Marzan's widow, Tina Marzan, is among the families who want answers. The Army finished its investigation in June but has not released it publicly. Families were briefed on its findings in July, CBS News reported. An inspector general wrote in a July 20 letter that it found no misconduct.
Some officers are speaking out by name. Maj. Billy Key and Maj. Stephen Ramsbottom told AP about the conditions before the strike. Lt. Col. Tim Halbur of Ankeny, Iowa, said his injuries mean he can no longer salute. Some of the troops served with the Iowa-based 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command.
Top officials have defended the base. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the drone a "squirter," and Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the facility had 6-foot walls, CBS reported.
The war has been costly. AP reports that 19 U.S. service members have been killed and more than 800 wounded, at a cost of at least $44 billion.
What we know: Six soldiers died, and the Army's report is done but unreleased.
What we don't: What the report says and whether anyone will be held responsible.
Where outlets agree AP, via MPR News, and CBS News both report that the Army finished its investigation into the March 1 strike but has not released it publicly.
Where they differ Pentagon leaders have said the base was protected and an inspector general found no misconduct, while surviving soldiers say clear warnings about the site were ignored.