Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is expressing sorrow over the deaths of six U.S. service members killed in Kuwait by an Iranian drone strike, while also emphasizing that the tragic loss underscores the harsh realities of war as the United States ramps up military operations against Iran.
Over the weekend, the United States and Israel launched a sweeping bombing campaign targeting sites across Iran. Among those killed were several high-ranking Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The strikes also resulted in civilian casualties, including at least 165 people — mostly children — at a girls’ elementary school in southern Iran.
Speaking Monday on Newsmax, Tuberville voiced strong support for the military action, echoing President Donald Trump’s assertion that the campaign could continue for weeks if necessary.
“President Trump’s doing the right thing,” Tuberville said. “We took out the leaders. I don’t know who they had running the show, but they started pushing the buttons to the missiles and started hitting their neighbors. And the neighbors are all mad now.”
The senator addressed the deaths of the six American service members, noting that they were stationed in Kuwait when the drone strike occurred.
“It’s just unfortunate. We lost what you said earlier, six people now. And my understanding is that they were in Kuwait, in one of their neighbors, and they got hit. So it’s just unfortunate that happened,” Tuberville said.
While acknowledging the tragedy, Tuberville framed the losses as part of the broader cost of armed conflict.
“But this is war — it’s gonna get worse before it gets better,” he added. “But I’m telling you who’s going to win this war. The United States of America is gonna win this war.”
Tuberville has previously cast himself as a staunch supporter of the armed forces. In 2023, despite not having served in the military, he declared himself one of the chamber’s strongest advocates for service members.
“There’s nobody more military up here than me,” Tuberville said at the time.
The escalating conflict has sparked debate on Capitol Hill. Democrats, along with some Republican lawmakers, have criticized the strikes and argued that President Trump should have sought congressional authorization before initiating military action. Lawmakers are expected to vote this week on War Powers resolutions aimed at addressing the president’s authority to engage U.S. forces in armed conflict.
The War Powers Act of 1973 limits the president’s ability to deploy troops into hostilities without congressional approval. However, the proposed measures are widely expected to stall in the Republican-controlled Congress.
As tensions in the region rise and the scope of operations against Iran continues to unfold, Tuberville’s comments reflect a broader divide in Washington over executive authority and military strategy. For the Alabama senator, however, the message was clear: while the loss of American lives is deeply regrettable, he believes the United States is positioned to prevail in the conflict.
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