More than 40 US senators have written to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth seeking clarification on the bombing of a girls’ school in Iran that resulted in the deaths of at least 168 individuals, predominantly children. Led by Senators Chris Van Hollen, Tim Kaine, Elizabeth Warren, and Brian Schatz, the lawmakers expressed deep concerns over the airstrikes on the girls’ elementary school in Minab, Iran, during the initial phase of US and Israeli operations against Iran.
The senators emphasized that the military actions against Iran are unauthorized by Congress and stressed the importance of adhering to US and international laws, including those governing armed conflict. They called for an immediate investigation into the school bombing and urged for the findings to be made public promptly, along with any accountability measures.
The letter highlighted the tragic nature of the Minab attack, noting that a significant number of the casualties were young girls aged between 7 and 12 years. The senators pointed out that neither the United States nor Israel had taken responsibility for the attack, underscoring the need for transparency and accountability in such incidents.
In addition to the Minab incident, concerns were raised by the senators regarding the broader impact on civilians in the conflict. Reports of airstrikes hitting hospitals, cultural sites, and other civilian infrastructure were mentioned, with the senators citing over 1,245 civilian deaths and more than 12,000 injuries as of March 10, as reported by the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
The lawmakers also expressed worries about the potential use of artificial intelligence tools in target selection during military operations in Iran. They sought clarification from the Pentagon on the involvement of US forces in the school bombing, the intended target, the analysis conducted prior to the strike, measures taken to prevent civilian casualties, and the use of AI in target selection.
