U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee, marking his first congressional appearance under oath since the start of the war with Iran. The nearly six-hour hearing, as reported by the BBC, was characterized by sharp exchanges with Democratic lawmakers. The session focused heavily on the financial and human costs of the conflict, with Hegseth providing a specific figure for the first time: the Brazilian outlet Folha de S.Paulo reported that the U.S. government stated the bombing campaigns in the Middle East have so far cost $25 billion.
According to The Hindu, Democratic representatives quickly shifted the discussion to the escalating financial burden of the war, the depletion of critical U.S. munitions stockpiles, and a specific incident involving the bombing of a school that resulted in child fatalities. This incident, an attack on the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, Iran, became a central point of contention. The Intercept cites a regional researcher with Amnesty International stating that U.S.-Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 2,362 civilians in Iran, including 383 children, with the school attack alone killing at least 175 people, most of them children.
Secretary Hegseth's responses to questions about civilian harm were a major focus. The Intercept reports that he repeatedly dismissed congressional concerns about civilian casualties and adherence to the laws of war. When questioned about a prior statement that the U.S. would afford enemies "no quarter"—a potential war crime—Hegseth is quoted as replying, "The Department of War fights to win." The Intercept also notes that Hegseth's office and the Pentagon have deflected questions about the Minab school attack for almost two months, stating the incident is under investigation. This stance was challenged during the hearing; The Intercept quotes Representative Adam Smith, the committee's top Democrat, stating there is "absolutely no question" the U.S. made a mistake in striking the school and criticized the administration for refusing to acknowledge it.
The hearing occurred against a backdrop of broader allegations regarding U.S. military actions globally. The Intercept frames the discussion within a wider context of a spike in civilian harm during the current presidential term, citing experts and advocacy groups. It reports that, according to one monitoring organization, the U.S. has killed more than 2,000 civilians worldwide during this period, a figure that rises to over 2,360 when including specific counts from Iran. The source attributes this to an expansion of military operations and a reduction in efforts to prevent civilian harm. In contrast, other sources like The Hindu and Folha de S.Paulo focus their reporting more narrowly on the congressional hearing and the specific costs of the Iran conflict, without delving into this global context.