In a recent twist, a 20-year-old United States soldier has been killed during the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, after an Iranian drone strike targeted a military base in Kuwait.
The young officer has since been remembered by family members and officials as a devoted son and committed member of the US Army.
The soldier, Declan Coady, a native of West Des Moines, Iowa, died on Sunday, March 1, when a drone attack struck Shuaiba Port in Kuwait, where he had been deployed. Coady served with the 103rd Sustainment Command, a unit based in Des Moines.
According to reports, the strike occurred amid escalating hostilities in the region following coordinated military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran.
American authorities confirmed that at least six US service members have lost their lives since the conflict intensified.
The Pentagon also identified three other troops killed in the same attack: Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, from Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, from Nebraska; and Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, from Minnesota. Following his death, Coady was posthumously promoted from specialist to the rank of sergeant.
Family members revealed that the young soldier had spoken with them shortly before the incident. His father, Andrew Coady, said he last spoke to his son on Saturday, February 28, just a day before the fatal strike.
“He told us he was safe,” his father recalled.
Coady had reportedly been keeping his family updated as tensions grew in the Middle East. He also spoke with his older brother, Aidan, a 25-year-old Army corporal stationed in Italy, shortly before the attack.
His father believes the strike likely happened soon after that conversation.
Meanwhile, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds paid tribute to the fallen soldier, describing him as a brave young man who answered the call to serve his country.
Coady was also a student at Drake University, where he studied information systems, cybersecurity and computer science. The university said it was deeply saddened by the loss, noting that he had a promising future ahead of him.
The young soldier enlisted in the US Army Reserve in 2023 while attending college and later chose to deploy to Kuwait in August 2025.
He was due to celebrate his 21st birthday on May 5.
