Survivors dispute Pete Hegseth’s underestimation of damage in Iran attack on Kuwait
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Survivors dispute Pete Hegseth’s underestimation of damage in Iran attack on Kuwait")
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 8, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
US soldiers contradict Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s account of Iran’s drone strike in Kuwait, alleging the base was unprepared and poorly defended.
Iran's March 1 retaliation at the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait was one of the deadliest Iranian attack US army has faced since 2021. The attack resulted in the deaths of six and injured 20. Many of those injured have publicly disputed Pentagons account. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth downplayed the impact of the attack, saying that one drone that squeaked through a heavily fortified defence.
“Painting a picture that 'one squeaked through' is a falsehood,” said one of the injured servicemen, claiming that the unit was not prepared to defend itself."I want people to know the unit … was unprepared to provide any defence for itself. It was not a fortified position," said the soldier to CBS News.
The Army's 103rd Sustainment Command service member, who chose to remain anonymous, said that they were left to scramble as there was an attack on the thinly secured port facility. Survivors also questioned the decision to relocate their logistics unit closer to Iran, a known target zone, while other personnel were moved to safer areas.
"We moved closer to Iran, to a deeply unsafe area that was a known target," the soldier said. “I don't think there was a good reason ever articulated.” There were also reports that they received an "all-clear" alert shortly before the blast, leaving them unprepared and exposed.
The US officials have not responded to the specific allegations against the servicemen. Assistant Secretary of Defence Sean Parnell claimed in a social media post on X that "every possible measure" was taken and that the facility had 6-foot walls, though survivors noted walls cannot stop an aerial drone strike. This conflicting account further highlights the difference in the real damage potential of the Iranian attack from the official accounts by the US military.
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