U.S. Army Finishes Investigation Into Iranian Drone Strike That Killed Six Troops in Kuwait

The U.S. Army has completed its investigation into the Iranian drone strike that killed six American troops at a tactical operations center in Kuwait on March 1, sources told CBS News. Gold Star families are scheduled to be briefed on the findings Thursday.

The March 1 attack was the deadliest on U.S. forces in the Iran War to date. U.S. Army Central and Third Army ordered the probe to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the strike on the Port of Shuaiba position.

Soldiers interviewed by CBS News said the unit received multiple force-protection warnings before its February move to the site. Military leaders had seen intelligence indicating Iran was targeting the location, according to those accounts. One senior official told CBS News the unit had moved to a deeply unsafe area that was a known target and possessed no drone defense capability.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the Iranian drone as a "squirter" one day after the strike. An injured soldier told CBS News in April that the unit was unprepared to provide any defense and was not a fortified position. Maj.

Stephen Ramsbottom told CBS News that Master Sgt. Nicole Amor could have survived her wounds if a doctor, fixed aid station or additional ambulance had been present. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell posted on X that every possible measure had been taken to safeguard troops and that the secure facility was fortified with 6-foot walls.

Soldiers blamed commanders of the Iowa-based 103rd Sustainment Command for ordering the deployment to Shuaiba weeks before Operation Epic Fury despite known concerns. A complaint sent to the Army Inspector General stated that leadership disregarded intelligence briefings and yelled at those who questioned the move.