Adm. Brad Cooper Denies 22 Iran School and Hospital Strikes, Pledges Investigation
Updated
Updated · ms.now · May 25
Adm. Brad Cooper Denies 22 Iran School and Hospital Strikes, Pledges Investigation
1 articles · Updated · ms.now · May 25
Adm. Brad Cooper told Congress he could not corroborate reports that U.S. strikes in Iran hit 22 schools and multiple hospitals, but said he would investigate civilian-harm claims transparently.
One active civilian-casualty probe is underway from 13,629 munitions fired, he said, centered on the Feb. 28 Tomahawk strike on a girls' school in Minab that reportedly killed nearly 200 students and teachers.
The testimony came amid estimates that more than 1,700 Iranian civilians have been killed and detailed reporting on over 20 strikes on specific schools and medical facilities.
The dispute has intensified scrutiny of the Pentagon after the Trump administration dismantled the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response program, which an internal Defense Department report said had become ineffective and legally noncompliant.
After a school bombing killed 120 children, can a military investigating itself ever deliver true justice for Iranian civilians?
As AI directs strikes in Iran, are we trading human oversight for a higher, uncounted civilian death toll?
A U.S. report called its civilian protection program 'ineffective.' Was dismantling it a fix or a feature of a deadlier war?
175 Dead in Minab School Strike: Civilian Casualties, AI Targeting Failures, and Calls for Accountability
Overview
On February 28, 2026, a strike hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, Iran, drawing significant international concern. The incident resulted in a large number of casualties, with at least 175 people reported killed, many of them children. Determining exactly what happened has been difficult due to the lack of visible weapons fragments, restricted access for reporters, and an internet shutdown imposed by the government. These challenges have complicated independent research and verification of the events, highlighting the tragedy and the urgent need for accountability and clearer information.