A Top U.S. Commander Dismisses Reports of Civilian Deaths in Iran
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Admiral Brad Cooper, overseeing U.S. combat operations in Iran, testified that a U.S. bomb may have caused the destruction of an Iranian school that Iranian officials say killed 175 people, marking the only known civilian casualty in over 13,600 strikes.
- Cooper suggested the U.S. military’s record since the February 28 strike has been nearly flawless, a claim met with skepticism by senators and contradicted by human rights groups and media investigations.
- The U.S. military has yet to take responsibility for the school strike, with the incident still under investigation according to Admiral Cooper.
- Human rights organizations investigating civilian casualties have criticized Cooper’s testimony as “ridiculous,” highlighting ongoing concerns about the accuracy of U.S. military claims.