The US military on Tuesday (local time) released the names of four of the six service members who have thus far died in the war with Iran, while supporting President Donald Trump's Operation Epic Fury.
According to a statement by the Department of War, four Army Reserve soldiers were killed on Sunday when a drone hit a command centre in Port Shuaiba in Kuwait.
The deadly drone attack took place a day after the US and Israel launched their military campaigns against Iran.
Which US military service members were killed?
All four Army Reserve members who were killed were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides food, fuel, water and ammunition, transport equipment and supplies, the Department of War said.
Those killed included Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Spc. Declan J.
"These men and women all bravely volunteered to defend our country, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten," US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.
"Sadly, there will likely be more, before it ends. That's the way it is," Trump, meanwhile, said of deaths.
The names of two other US service members who were killed have yet to be released.
Family members pay tribute to fallen soldiers
As the identities of the fallen soldiers were confirmed, grieving family members paid tribute.
"You don't go to Kuwait thinking something's going to happen, and for her to be one of the first – it hurts," Joey Amor, Sergeant Nicole Amor's husband, said on Tuesday.
“If you needed anything, she would just take care of it for you. She's helped a lot of people through a lot of dark times and brought a lot of light to this world,” Joey said, as per AP.
Amor was an avid gardener who enjoyed making salsa from the peppers and tomatoes in her garden with her son, a senior in high school. She also enjoyed rollerblading and bicycling with her fourth-grade daughter, reported AP.
Meanwhile, Nebraska US Senator Pete Ricketts said he and his wife were mourning Tietjens' death and praying for his family.
"May we always remember and honor the sacrifices made by Noah Tietjens and the Tietjens family," Ricketts said.
Tietjens, a Sergeant First Class, was married with a son, according to a Facebook page. A photo online shows the couple with their son wearing a martial arts uniform.
Meanwhile, Coady's LinkedIn page said he was a student at Drake University and an information technology specialist with the Army Reserve.
Coady had learnt how to "interact with countless different kinds of people from all different backgrounds" through his service, his LinkedIn page says.
US casualties in Iran conflict
Thus far, the US military has said that six American service members died overseas in the Iran operations.
US Central Command, meanwhile, has said that at least five other troops were seriously wounded in the attacks.
The status of the injured soldiers remains unclear at the moment.
(With inputs from agencies)
