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Democratic senators demand Pentagon release findings on Iran school strike probe

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Democratic senators urged the Trump administration to release findings from a US military probe into a fatal strike on a girls' school in Iran.
  • The senators cited a Reuters report indicating US forces were likely responsible for the February 28 strike, which killed over 175 children and teachers.
  • They requested the military finalize its investigation, brief Congress, and present a plan to prevent future civilian casualties.

A group of Democratic senators, led by Kirsten Gillibrand, is demanding the Trump administration publicly disclose the findings of a US military investigation into a deadly strike on a girls' school in Minab, Iran, on February 28. The senators want the unclassified findings released within a week.

There is no justification for withholding an unclassified accounting of what happened, what went wrong, and what the Department is doing to prevent recurrence.

— Democratic senatorsIn a letter to the Trump administration, demanding the release of investigation findings.

Reuters previously reported that an initial internal US military investigation suggested American forces were likely responsible for the strike, which occurred on the opening day of the war with Iran. The senators highlighted that the incident, which killed over 175 children and teachers according to Iranian officials, could be the largest US military civilian casualty event since 1991. They are pressing for the investigation to be finalized, Congress to be briefed, and a plan to be presented to prevent similar mistakes.

"There is no justification for withholding an unclassified accounting of what happened, what went wrong, and what the Department is doing to prevent recurrence," the senators stated in their letter. A Pentagon official, however, told Reuters that the investigation is ongoing and no updates are available. The lawmakers are asking US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and US Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, to submit an unclassified version of the findings and a remediation plan to Congress and the public.

The investigation is ongoing. We do not have any updates to announce at this time.

— Pentagon officialResponding to a request for comment on the investigation's status.

Iranian officials have labeled the strike a US war crime, while the US maintains it does not intentionally target civilians. The senators' letter notes the school's proximity to a compound operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Reuters has reported that US officials may have used outdated intelligence for targeting packages. President Trump has expressed skepticism about whether the US military will ever know what happened, stating on June 24, "I don't think it was us."

Somebody said it was our missile, maybe it wasn't our missile, but I have seen nothing to lead me to believe it was. I don't think it was us.

— Donald TrumpCommenting on the US military's potential involvement in the strike.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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