The Pentagon on Wednesday took steps to identify the remaining two service members who were among the six American troops killed so far in the war with Iran.
The Department of Defense confirmed the death of Maj. Jeffrey R. O'Brien, 45, of Waukee, Iowa, who was killed in an “unmanned aircraft system attack” on Sunday, according to officials.
O'Brien commissioned as a Signal Corps Officer in 2012 and deployed to Kuwait in 2019, according to the U.S. Army Reserve Command.
The Pentagon also announced Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, Calif., was “believed to be” among those killed in the fighting in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
Marzan has not yet been positively identified by a medical examiner. Marzan's photo and service verification are yet to be released "out of respect to the family," according to the U.S. Army Reserve.
Both men were members of the Army Reserve.
O’Brien is survived by a wife and children, according to a Facebook post by his aunt, obtained by WCNC.
The major was “the sweetest blue-eyed, blonde farm kid you’d ever know,” Mary Melchert wrote in the post. “He is so missed already.”
On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced the names of four other Army Reserve troops killed in the March 1 attack: 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 Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.
The attack is under investigation.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote in a Tuesday post on X that the facility in Kuwait that was attacked was a secure space “fortified with 6-foot walls.”
“Every possible measure has been taken to safeguard our troops — at every level,” he wrote. “The Department is prepared for this engagement and has hardened our defenses. We’ve moved a significant number of our troops off the X and will always protect our bases and people from a significantly weakened Iran.”
Unnamed officials told CBS News the command center was a triple-wide trailer converted into an office space.
The president will attend the dignified transfer ceremonies of the fallen soldiers when their remains return to the U.S., according to the White House.
The Trump administration is facing increasing scrutiny over the early casualties in the war.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed on Wednesday that the press was excessively focusing on the deaths to make the president look bad while ignoring U.S. successes in controlling the battlefield.
“This is what the fake news misses,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon press briefing, appearing to refer to Sunday’s deadly attack on a U.S. command center. “We’ve taken control of Iran’s airspace and waterways without boots on the ground. We control their fate. But when a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front page news.”
“I get it,” the veteran and former Fox News weekend host added. “The press only wants to make the president look bad, but try for once to report the reality.”
The comments later prompted an argument in the White House press room when CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about the remarks.
Leavitt then falsely accused CNN of not reporting on the past deaths of military members and claimed it is a “fact” that “the press does only want to make the president look bad.”
Iran-US war latest: Israel launches fresh strikes on Tehran as explosion in Kuwait
Majority of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling Iran, poll shows
Canada and Australia leaders urge war de-escalation, but agree Iran can't get nuclear weapons
War with Iran chokes flows of oil and natural gas, highlighting energy security risks for Asia
GOP senator helps remove protester out of Senate hearing room who resisted arrest
