CENTCOM Chief Admits No Investigation Into Reported Civilian Deaths

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand pressed the commander during a session focused on the Trump administration’s $1.5 trillion military spending request. She cited recent reporting that 22 schools and 17 healthcare facilities have been damaged or destroyed since the start of hostilities on February 28. When the senator asked if he had investigated these claims, Cooper stated plainly, "We have not."

Cooper maintained that all operations were conducted in accordance with the law of armed conflict, dismissing the documented damage as uncorroborated. He noted that only one official investigation is currently active, despite the use of over 13,000 munitions in the region. This response follows the gutting of the Pentagon’s Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan, which saw staff levels for monitoring noncombatant safety slashed by 90%.

Human rights organizations and Iranian officials report that more than 1,700 civilians have been killed during the campaign. Critics, including the National Iranian American Council, argued that Cooper’s refusal to investigate represents a failure of oversight, particularly given the reliance on AI-driven targeting systems that have raised significant ethical concerns regarding human accountability.