Democratic senators launch investigation into Kuwait strike that killed US troops

Politics Democratic senators launch investigation into Kuwait strike that killed U.S. troops By Michael Kaplan, Michael Kaplan Reporter and Producer Michael Kaplan is an award-winning reporter and producer for the CBS News investigative unit. He specializes in securing scoops and crafting long-form television investigations. His work has appeared on "60 Minutes," CNN and in The New York Times. Read Full Bio Michael Kaplan, Jonah Kaplan Jonah Kaplan Investigative Reporter Jonah Kaplan is an award-winning journalist who has built a strong reputation for his balanced reporting, thoughtful interviews, and deeply researched coverage of high-impact issues affecting the community. His work appears on all of WCCO's newscasts and is often featured on CBS News' programs and platforms, including the CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings and CBS 24/7. Read Full Bio Jonah Kaplan April 27, 2026 / 4:18 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Four Democratic senators say they are investigating whether the Pentagon left U.S. troops at a command post in Kuwait without sufficient protection ahead of an Iranian drone attack that killed six American servicemembers and left more than 20 wounded. The probe comes after soldiers stationed at the base told CBS News they were left dangerously exposed at a location that was a known target for Iranian drones. Speaking publicly for the first time earlier this month, members of the targeted unit offered CBS News a detailed account of the attack, which occurred on the first day of what has extended into a monthslong conflict between the U.S. and Iran. In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, four Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee questioned the Pentagon's preparations and whether the administration "failed to protect Americans in the region from Iranian retaliation". At a press conference the day after the attack, Hegseth described the Iranian drone as a "squirter" that "happened to hit a tactical operations center th...