Survivors of the deadliest Iranian attack on U.S. forces since the current war began are now speaking out, offering a starkly different account from what was initially described by Pentagon leadership and raising difficult questions about preparedness, accountability, and the realities of modern warfare.
In interviews with CBS News, members of the Army’s 103rd Sustainment Command recounted the March 1 drone strike at a Kuwaiti port facility that killed six service members and wounded more than 20 others. Their testimony challenges remarks made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had characterized the attack as a single drone slipping through defenses at a fortified position.
According to those on the ground, that description does not match reality.
“Painting a picture that ‘one squeaked through’ is a falsehood,” one injured soldier said, explaining that the unit was not in a fortified position and lacked the ability to defend itself. Several service members, speaking anonymously due to military media restrictions, described a setting that was exposed and ill-equipped to handle the kind of aerial threat that ultimately struck.
The attack came after what appeared to be a false sense of security. Earlier that morning, troops had taken cover in a bunker after missile alarms sounded, only to receive an all-clear notice. Helmets came off, and personnel returned to their routine duties inside a makeshift workspace constructed of wood and tin.
Roughly 30 minutes later, the strike hit.
“Everything shook,” one soldier recalled, describing scenes of chaos—ringing ears, blurred vision, and thick smoke filling the air. The aftermath was devastating: head wounds, heavy bleeding, shrapnel injuries, and widespread confusion as soldiers scrambled to help one another.
Video from the scene shows smoke pouring from the building as fires smoldered in the wreckage. Despite the destruction, survivors emphasized the courage and quick thinking of those present, who improvised medical care and transported the wounded using civilian vehicles to nearby hospitals.
“It was chaos,” another soldier said. “There was no single line of patients to triage.”
The location itself has become a focal point of concern. While many U.S. forces had been moved farther from Iranian missile range ahead of operations, members of the 103rd Sustainment Command were instead relocated to Port of Shuaiba, a smaller outpost south of Kuwait City. Soldiers said they had questions at the time about why they were placed in what they believed to be a known target area.
“We moved closer to Iran, to a deeply unsafe area that was a known target,” one service member said, adding that no clear justification was ever provided.
The facility’s defenses, they explained, were limited to basic barriers designed to mitigate ground-level blasts, not aerial threats like drones. “From a drone defense capability … none,” one soldier said bluntly.
A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the claims, citing an ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of Defense Sean Parnell stated publicly that “every possible measure” had been taken to protect troops and noted the presence of six-foot walls around the site.
Still, for those who lived through the attack, the gap between official statements and firsthand experience remains difficult to ignore.
“It’s not my intent to diminish morale,” one soldier said, “but telling the truth is important.” He added that without acknowledging mistakes, there is little chance of preventing future tragedies.
Even as they raised concerns, the soldiers expressed deep pride in their fellow service members. Many emphasized that the bravery and sacrifice displayed in those moments should not be overshadowed by questions about leadership decisions.
The attack also underscores a broader shift in modern warfare. Iranian forces relied on drones—relatively low-cost but highly effective weapons that have increasingly reshaped conflicts around the world. As one soldier acknowledged, danger is inherent in combat. But when asked whether this particular attack could have been prevented, his answer was direct.
“In my opinion, absolutely, yes.”
It is a sobering reminder that while war often demands sacrifice, the circumstances surrounding that sacrifice still matter—and so does the responsibility to learn from it.
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