Warren, Van Hollen Lead 40+ Dem Senators to Press DoD for Full Investigation On School Bombing, Civilian Casualties in Iran

Warren, Van Hollen Lead 40+ Dem Senators to Press DoD for Full Investigation On School Bombing, Civilian Casualties in Iran

"There must be a swift investigation into the strikes on this school and any other potential U.S. 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."

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Armed Services Committee, along with Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and 41 colleagues, pressed Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth for a full investigation on the airstrikes on a school in Minab, Iran, and other civilian casualties in the Trump administration's war on Iran. The senators are also calling for accountability for those responsible.

On February 28, during the opening salvo of U.S. and Israeli operations on Iran, airstrikes on a girls' elementary school reportedly killed at least 175 people - mostly children - in Minab, Iran. A new preliminary investigation from the Department of Defense found the U.S. was likely responsible for the strike.

"The war against Iran is a war of choice without Congressional authorization," wrote the senators. "Nonetheless, as these military actions continue, the United States and Israel must abide by U.S. and international law, including the law of armed conflict."

There have also been reports of airstrikes that have hit multiple hospitals, cultural heritage sites, and other critical civilian infrastructure. Explosive weapons have been used in major Iranian cities and populated areas, including the capital, Tehran, which is home to approximately 9 million people. As of March 10, there have been over 1,245 civilians killed and over 12,000 civilians injured in the war, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). The senators' concerns are compounded by the reported use of artificial intelligence tools to select and prioritize targets in Iran.

Secretary Hegseth has shown a complete disregard for the laws of war. On March 3, Secretary Hegseth remarked that Operation Epic Fury would have "no stupid rules of engagement." On March 4, while describing U.S. military operations in Iran, Secretary Hegseth announced, "death and destruction from the sky all day long." This rhetoric only serves to endanger civilians, including American citizens, in the region and around the globe.

"The United States is a party to the Geneva Conventions and bound by international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution," wrote the senators. "These are binding and non-negotiable standards designed to protect innocent human life, and it is unacceptable for the Secretary of Defense to suggest otherwise."

"Your comments reflect a broader pattern of policies abandoning the Defense Department's commitment to minimizing civilian harm in U.S. military operations," continued the senators.

Due to the horrific reports about civilian casualties stemming from the war against Iran, suggesting the administration has placed civilians at risk, the senators pushed for an investigation into the strikes on this school and any other potential U.S. military actions causing civilian harm and called for the findings to be released to the public as soon as possible. The senators also demanded a response to their questions by March 18, 2026.

The letter was also signed by Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Angus King (I-Maine).

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