The family of a soldier killed in an Iranian drone strike has paid tribute to him.
Sgt. Declan Coady, from West Des Moines, Iowa, was among six personnel who died following a drone strike in Kuwait on March 1.
Coady, 20, was an Army reservist and was inside a command building when the attack happened, according to ABC News.
The strike followed a new wave of US and Israeli attacks across Iran after negotiations over the country’s nuclear program reportedly failed to produce an agreement.
Iran then launched missile and drone assaults aimed at several Middle Eastern locations hosting US military bases, including Kuwait.
In the aftermath, Coady’s family has shared their grief publicly, including how they learned of his death.
In a statement, Coady’s sister Kiera said: “On Sunday, March 1, after trying to check in, we heard nothing. Trying to be positive we all assumed he was just in a situation where he couldn’t message back, but we all knew something was wrong.”
She added: “At 8 p.m. as we all were getting ready to go to bed, the doorbell rang, and the rest of that night will forever be one of the worst nights of our lives. While it’s all blurry, we all knew what the doorbell meant.”
Coady had been serving as part of Operation Epic Fury, the name used by the Trump administration for the joint effort with Israel, which it said was intended to topple the Iranian government.
Kiera said: “The only thing I can think is that I wish I had called him one more time and told him I loved him.
“I wish that I had been able to be there or trade places with him or anything just so he could have known he was safe and that we loved him and he didn’t need to be scared … He was just a baby.”
Coady died while being transported to hospital and was posthumously promoted from specialist.
Kiera said: “I wish I could think of words beyond that he was smart and kind and amazing, but even if I were to throw in other words it still wouldn’t quite capture his spirit.
“He was truly a rock in all of our lives and was just the most amazing brother and son my family could have asked for.”
Those also reported killed in the strike include Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, and Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42.
The remaining two service members who died have not yet been publicly identified.