Survivors of an Iranian attack against a U.S. base in Kuwait in the early days of the war are challenging the Pentagon's account regarding the facility's preparedness, according to a new report.
Speaking to CBS News, the service members said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's claim about the drone attack being a "squirter" that "squeaked through" defenses is a "falsehood."
One of them said the facility was "unprepared to provide any defense for itself" and was "not a fortified position." Overall, six service members died and 20 were wounded in the attack.
A previous report by the outlet in early March had already challenged a Pentagon account, noting that the attack was more widespread than initially claimed, with service members sustained brain trauma, shrapnel wounds and burns.
Citing sources familiar with the incident, the outlet detailed that smoke quickly filled the tactical operations center at the Shuaiba port, making it difficult to rescue those trapped inside. More than 35 service members had to be evacuated to medical facilities in the U.S. or Germany to receive treatment.
Service members recalled "head wounds, heavy bleeding, lots of perforated eardrums, and then just shrapnel all over, so folks are bleeding from their abdomen, bleeding from arms, bleeding from legs."
The outlet also reported that military officials had questioned whether the base was adequately fortified. They claimed that the the operations center was a triple-wide trailer turned into office space.
The fortifications, the official said, were 12-foot tall concrete barriers reinforced with steel. While they can protect personnel from explosions and rockets, they are weak against an overhead strike. Other officials said the strike appeared to fully hit the top of the building. It appeared to be a Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drone.
Given the outcome, they said, there were discussions about the need of having operations center there because there were too many troops in a place that couldn't be properly defended. In fact, two of the three officials said they did not recall hearing the warning sirens that let people know about an incoming threat. The outlet noted that there were no counter-attacks.
In the latest report, a service member agreed with the premise that the attack was a result of engaging in combat, However, he also claimed the attack was preventable. "In my opinion, absolutely. Yes," he said.
