AssetID: 55546048
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Hegseth Accused of Weakening Oversight Before Deadly Iran School Strike
Caption: Hegseth Accused of Weakening Oversight Before Deadly Iran School Strike. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been criticized for weakening Pentagon oversight offices that would normally investigate civilian casualties. The move comes as the Pentagon examines a strike that reportedly hit a girls’ school in Iran, which Iranian media say killed around 170 children and 14 teachers. Hegseth previously slashed staffing in the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, reducing about 200 employees working on civilian harm issues by roughly 90 percent. The civilian casualty assessment team at United States Central Command has reportedly dropped from 10 staff members to just one. Former Pentagon officials warn the cuts have severely weakened the military’s ability to investigate and prevent civilian harm during air campaigns. Hegseth has defended the approach, arguing the U.S. military takes more precautions than any other country to avoid targeting civilians. The U.S. and Israel have struck more than 5,000 targets in Iran during the conflict, one of the largest air campaigns in decades. Critics say reducing civilian protection resources during such a campaign increases the risk that deadly mistakes will go unchecked. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Pete Hegseth,Pentagon oversight,Iran school strike,Civilian Protection Center of Excellence,U.S. Central Command,Tomahawk missile,Iran war airstrikes,U.S.-Israel military campaign
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