Day 6 of the U.S.-Israel War on Iran: Key Things to Know

Six days in, the conflict between US-Isreal and Iran is widening geographically, hardening politically in Washington, and the casualty picture is becoming clearer in some places, especially where governments have released names while remaining opaque elsewhere. 

A U.S. naval strike far from the Middle East, a NATO-linked interception near Turkey, and the public naming of the last two U.S. troops killed in Kuwait have all just happened.

What is still happening 

U.S. submarine strike sinks an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka
A U.S. submarine attack sank Iran’s frigate IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka, killing at least 87 with others reported missing, according to Sri Lankan officials cited in Reuters reporting. The incident dramatically expands the conflict’s operating area beyond the Gulf.

NATO air defences intercept an Iranian missile headed toward Turkey
Turkey said NATO air defences destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile as it approached Turkish airspace after crossing Iraq and Syria. Turkey reported no casualties, but debris fell near Hatay province.

Pentagon identifies the final two U.S. service members killed in the Kuwait drone strike
The Pentagon released the names of the last two of the six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in the Port Shuaiba, Kuwait attack, completing the list of confirmed U.S. military fatalities from that single incident.

U.S. Senate vote blocks an effort to rein in Trump’s war powers
The Senate voted to block a resolution that would have required congressional authorization for further military action, effectively signalling continued backing for the ongoing campaign.

Names of victims (only where publicly identified)

U.S. soldiers killed in the Kuwait drone strike (6):

• Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35 (Winter Haven, Florida)
  
• Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42 (Bellevue, Nebraska)
  
• Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39 (White Bear Lake, Minnesota)
  
• Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20 (West Des Moines, Iowa)
  
• Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54 (California)
  
• Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45 (Indianola, Iowa)
  

Other fatalities named?

• Kuwait said two of its army personnel were killed by Iranian attacks, but did not publish names in the Reuters report.
  
• For the IRIS Dena sinking, public reporting cited death totals and rescue figures, but no individual names of Iranian sailors were provided in the Reuters dispatches referenced above.
  

What you should note

Al Jazeera’s live tracker said that as of Wednesday 12:00 GMT, preliminary confirmed casualties included 1,045 killed in Iran, 11 killed in Israel, and six U.S. soldiers killed (with injuries across multiple countries).