Eleven senators are turning against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and demanding answers. All 11 senators come from the Democratic camp. A deadline has been set, and by May 4 he is to explain how these attacks came about. The accusation is specific and serious. Several operations against Iran are said to have violated American law and international law while also undermining the protection of civilians.
Four strikes are at the center. Two of them stand out. A Tomahawk strike on an elementary school in Minab, 175 dead. The use of Precision Strike Missiles in Lamerd, 21 dead. Both occurred at the beginning of the war in February. For the senators, these are not unavoidable consequences of military action, but avoidable catastrophes.
See also our article: Minab, 175 Dead and a Tomahawk - One Video and 116 Meters
The criticism does not stop at individual decisions. It targets the tone and the overall line. On March 13, Hegseth had declared that there would be "no mercy" and "no restraint for our enemies." For Elizabeth Warren and Chris Van Hollen, that is more than rhetoric. Such an order, they write, clearly violates the law of armed conflict and even the Pentagon’s own manual. Anyone who takes no prisoners also targets the wounded who can no longer fight.
According to their warning, this endangers not only civilians but also their own soldiers. Rules that collapse come back. Discipline erodes, and what one orders can be mirrored by the enemy. In addition, there is a decision that is less visible but has deep consequences. Shortly after taking office, Hegseth scaled back structures within the Pentagon that were specifically designed to prevent civilian casualties. Programs built up over years are being reduced or eliminated. For the senators, this marks a break with a line that had been maintained across multiple administrations.
The accusation therefore goes beyond individual strikes. It targets the foundation of military conduct. Protecting civilians is not an option, but a requirement for any operation. Ignoring this weakens one’s own military. Elizabeth Warren puts it plainly. Thousands of innocent people have died after programs aimed at preventing civilian casualties were rolled back. Hegseth’s approach is chaotic and dangerous, for civilians as well as for American soldiers.
So far, there has been no response from the Pentagon.
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