Pentagon IDs 2 U.S. Service Members Who Died During Middle East Operations

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The Pentagon has identified two U.S. service members who died during operations in the Middle East.

U.S. Army soldier Sgt. Benjamin Pennington, 26, died Sunday after he was injured March 1 in an Iranian strike at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. Pennington, who was supporting Operation Epic Fury, was assigned to 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade based Fort Carson, Colo., the Pentagon said Monday. The incident is under investigation.

On Feb. 28, U.S. and Israeli Defense Forces initiated Operation Epic Fury, a series of massive strikes on military and leadership targets in Iran, launching from bases in the region as well as USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78). The strikes resulted in the death of senior Iranian leaders, including Iran’s sectarian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In response, Iranian forces fired multiple waves of drone and missile attacks toward Israel, Jordon, UAE, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. Those included strikes on U.S. 5th Fleet’s headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, and the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The initial targets included U.S. military assets in those countries but expanded to include civilian buildings and infrastructure.

Pennington is the seventh U.S. casualty of Epic Fury. His death comes as the operation enters its second week.

A native of Glendale, Ky., Pennington enlisted in 2017 as a 92Y, unit supply specialist. He was assigned to the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, USASMDC, on June 10, 2025. Pennington’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Korea Defense Service Medal, among others. Pennington will be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, the Army said Monday.

Over the weekend, the Pentagon also announced the death of Maj. Sorffly Davius, a National Guard soldier who was supporting Operation Spartan Shield. The U.S. Central Command-based operation is meant to build partnerships in the Middle East and increase security, according to a Defense Department webpage.

Davius, 46, died Saturday in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, as a result of a non-combat related incident, the Defense Department said. His death is under investigation.

Davius, a native of Queens, N.Y., was assigned to the Headquarters Battalion, 42nd Infantry Division based in Troy, N.Y. Davius served as a data systems engineering officer in the division headquarters, responsible for computer and communications network security.

He joined the Air Force in 2004 and transferred to the New York National Guard in 2013. In civilian life, Davius was a member of the New York Police Department, joining the force in 2014.

His awards include the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Humane Service to New York State Medal, among others.