US Senate Democrats Write Letter To Hegseth For 'Swift Investigation' On Iran School Attack

Washington: Nearly every U.S. Senate Democrat signed a letter sent to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday requesting a "swift investigation" of airstrikes on a ​girls' school in Iran that killed scores of children and any other ‌potential U.S. military actions causing civilian harm.

Reuters reported on March 5 that U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for the strike on the school on February 28, as ​U.S. and Israeli forces launched attacks on Iran.

"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. Neither the United States ​nor the Israeli Government has yet taken responsibility for this attack," the letter, signed by ​46 senators, said.

The correspondence was signed by every member of the Senate Democratic caucus except John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a senator known for outspoken opinions and occasional defiance of the party. His office did ​not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The letter asked for answers to a ​series of questions, including whether U.S. forces conducted the strikes, what steps the military has taken to ‌prevent ⁠and mitigate civilian harm and what role artificial intelligence tools have played in operations.

The Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. Hegseth has vowed to restore a "warrior ethos" to the U.S. military and referred to rules ​of engagement, directives typically ​given to military forces ⁠during a conflict, as "stupid" in a recent press conference.

Iran's U.N. ambassador said on Tuesday the U.S.-Israeli strikes had killed more than 1,300 ​civilians.

No Republicans signed the letter. Members of President Donald Trump's party, ​who hold ⁠a 53-seat majority in the Senate, have almost unanimously backed his strategy on Iran, with only a handful expressing doubt about any aspect of the war.

The lawmakers' comments came as ⁠they awaited ​a request the White House is expected to ​make for more funding for the war. Several congressional aides have said they expect Trump to ask for $50 billion, ​although others have said that estimate seemed low.

Also Read- ‘Targeting Mistake’: Preliminary Reports Holds US Military Responsible for Iran School Strike That Killed 160+ Girls