US Senators Demand Probe Into Iran School Bombing That Killed 168

In a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, the lawmakers said they were writing with "grave concern regarding the airstrikes on a girls' elementary school that reportedly killed at least 168 people -- mostly children -- in Minab, Iran, during the opening salvo of US and Israeli operations on Iran on February 28."

The letter was led by Senators Chris Van Hollen, Tim Kaine, Elizabeth Warren, and Brian Schatz, and backed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, along with more than 40 other lawmakers.

"To be clear, the war against Iran is a war of choice without Congressional authorisation," the senators wrote. "Nonetheless, as these military actions continue, the United States and Israel must abide by US and international law, including the law of armed conflict."

They called for an immediate investigation and public disclosure of the findings.

"There must be a swift investigation into the strikes on this school and any other potential US military actions causing civilian harm, and the findings must be released to the public as soon as possible, along with any measures to pursue accountability," the lawmakers said.

The senators described the Minab attack as a major civilian tragedy.

"The results of this school attack are horrific. The majority of those killed in the strikes were girls between the ages of 7 and 12 years old," the letter said, adding that neither the United States nor Israel had yet taken responsibility for the attack.

According to the letter, Hegseth acknowledged on March 4 that the United States was reviewing the incident, saying: "all I know, all I can say, is that we're investigating that," but provided no timeline for the review.

Lawmakers also cited media reports suggesting the school may have been hit during strikes on an adjacent Iranian naval base. Satellite imagery showed the building had been separated from the base and used as a school since at least 2016, the letter noted.

Beyond the Minab attack, senators raised concerns about broader civilian casualties in the conflict.

"There have also been reports of airstrikes that have hit multiple hospitals, cultural heritage sites, and other critical civilian infrastructure," they wrote. "This includes the use of explosive weapons in major Iranian cities and populated areas, including the capital, Tehran, which is home to approximately 9 million people."

As of March 10, more than 1,245 civilians had been killed and over 12,000 injured in the war, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, the senators said.

They also expressed alarm over reports that artificial intelligence tools may have been used to select or prioritise targets in Iran.

"These concerns are compounded by the reported use of artificial intelligence tools to select and prioritise targets in Iran," the letter stated.

The lawmakers asked the Pentagon to clarify whether US forces carried out the strike on the school and, if so, what the intended target was, what analysis was conducted to identify the building, and what steps were taken to minimise civilian casualties.

They also questioned whether AI tools were used in planning or executing the strikes and what safeguards existed to verify AI-generated targets.

The senators further raised concerns about comments by the defence secretary regarding the rules governing military operations.

On March 3, Hegseth said Operation Epic Fury would have "no stupid rules of engagement." The following day, he said US military operations in Iran would bring "death and destruction from the sky all day long."

The senators warned that such rhetoric could undermine compliance with international humanitarian law and increase risks to civilians.

- IANS