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Civilian Harm

All articles tagged with #civilian harm

Lawmakers call for firing Hegseth after Pentagon links US to Iranian school attack
world28 days ago

Lawmakers call for firing Hegseth after Pentagon links US to Iranian school attack

Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Sen. Elizabeth Warren urge the firing of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the wake of reports that a US-aligned strike may have killed hundreds of Iranian schoolgirls, citing a Pentagon finding that the US was a highly likely culprit and arguing that Hegseth’s stance against civilian-harm safeguards and loosening of engagement rules helped shape a dangerous policy. Human rights groups condemn the attack as a possible war crime and call for independent investigation, as critics use the episode to attack the administration’s Iran strategy.

Gillibrand Presses EUCOM Chief Over Iran School Strike and Civilian Harm Safeguards
politics29 days ago

Gillibrand Presses EUCOM Chief Over Iran School Strike and Civilian Harm Safeguards

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pressed EUCOM commander Gen. Grynkewich at a Senate hearing about a U.S. strike that hit a girls’ school in Iran, killing about 170 children, questioning the targeting process and civilian-harm protections; Grynkewich defended safeguards and commitment to minimizing civilian harm, while the Pentagon later admitted responsibility for the strike.

Israel's AI-driven bombing campaign in Gaza raises civilian casualties
militarytechnology2 years ago

Israel's AI-driven bombing campaign in Gaza raises civilian casualties

Israel's military has been using an AI target-creation platform called "the Gospel" to select bombing targets in Gaza during its offensive against Hamas. The platform, which uses machine learning and advanced computing, has significantly accelerated the production of targets, with the IDF claiming to have identified over 12,000 targets in Gaza. The Gospel has been used to produce automated recommendations for attacking targets, including the private homes of suspected Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives. Concerns have been raised about the risks posed to civilians as advanced militaries increasingly rely on complex and opaque automated systems on the battlefield.

US Sends Cluster Munitions to Ukraine Despite High Failure Rate
international-affairs2 years ago

US Sends Cluster Munitions to Ukraine Despite High Failure Rate

The cluster munitions that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine often fail to detonate, posing a lasting danger to civilians. The Pentagon claims that the weapons have been improved to minimize civilian harm, but their own statements reveal that the cluster munitions contain older grenades with a failure rate of 14 percent or more. These grenades can remain unexploded for years or even decades, posing a threat to adults and children who come across them. While the Biden administration had reservations about supplying cluster munitions, they ultimately decided to provide them to Ukraine due to the country's shortage of artillery rounds. Cluster munitions are banned by over 100 countries due to the high risk of civilian casualties.