Washington: A group of senior Democratic lawmakers has called for a full investigation into an apparent strike on an Iranian girls’ school that reportedly killed at least 175 people, most of them children.
In a joint statement, US Senators Mark R. Warner, Brian Schatz, Patty Murray, Jeanne Shaheen, Jack Reed, and Chris Coons said they were “horrified by the latest reports concerning the February 28th strike on an Iranian elementary school near the town of Minab.”
The lawmakers said the attack resulted in “the killing of at least 175 people, most of whom were school children.”
They added that “independent analysis credibly suggests the strike may have been conducted by US forces, which, if true, would make it one of the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of American military action in the Middle East.”
“The killing of school children is appalling and unacceptable under any circumstance,” the senators said.
They also raised concerns about comments attributed to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth regarding military operations.
“This incident is particularly concerning in light of Secretary Hegseth’s openly cavalier approach to the use of force, including his statement that US strikes in Iran wouldn’t be bound by ‘stupid rules of engagement,’ in his words,” the statement said.
The lawmakers said the strike must be thoroughly investigated.
“American servicemembers are governed by strict regulations that are intended to promote the utmost professionalism, so this incident and any like it must be fully and impartially reviewed,” they said.
The senators urged the Pentagon to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding the attack.
“Secretary Hegseth needs to ensure the Department of Defence’s ongoing investigation into this strike is thorough, including whether any policy decisions may have contributed to the catastrophe,” they said.
They also called for transparency with lawmakers and the public.
The secretary of war must “provide clear answers to the American public and Congress about how and why this tragedy unfolded,” the statement added.
The issue surfaced publicly during a press conference where US President Donald Trump was asked about footage suggesting an American missile strike may have destroyed the Iranian school.
Trump said he had not yet reviewed the evidence.
“Well, I haven’t seen it, and I will say that the Tomahawk, which is one of the most powerful weapons around, is used by you know, sold and used by other countries,” he said.
He added that the matter was under investigation. “But that’s being investigated right now,” Trump said.
The president also suggested that multiple countries possess similar weapons.
“A tomahawk is very generic. It’s sold to other countries,” he said.
The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed responsibility for the strike. Officials have said the incident is under review as part of a broader investigation into military operations linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
(IANS)
