{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.welch.senate.gov/welch-and-blumenthal-warn-that-trumps-threats-to-bomb-civilian-infrastructure-in-iran-could-amount-to-war-crimes/", "Welch and Blumenthal\u00a0Warn that\u00a0Trump\u2019s Threats\u00a0to Bomb Civilian Infrastructure in Iran\u00a0Could Amount to War Crimes", "2026-07-24", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "VT", "Peter Welch", "W000800", "www.welch.senate.gov", "welch", "https://www.welch.senate.gov/category/press-release/page/", "scraper", "The Senators request information from Central Command about how CENTCOM ensures U.S. Forces in the Middle East abide by U.S. law prohibiting strikes against targets such as bridges or power plants for the sole purpose of terrorizing civilians\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, alongside U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, expressed grave concern to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) that President Trump\u2019s recent threats to bomb civilian infrastructure in Iran, including bridges and power plants, could amount to war crimes. In their letter to CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper, the Senators seek clarification and answers about the United States\u2019 commitment to ensuring forces under CENTCOM\u2019s command abide by the domestic and international laws of war.\n\n\u201cAs you know, intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure could amount to a war crime, prohibited by domestic and international law. The mere threat of such attacks may violate the law of war,\u201d wrote the Senators. \u201cThe law of war prohibits attacks against civilian objects, indiscriminate attacks, and attacks expected to cause excessive harm to civilians in relation to the direct military advantage anticipated. The law of war also prohibits threats of violence to spread terror among the civilian population.\u201d\n\nThe Senators highlighted that in determining that Russia had committed war crimes in Ukraine, the U.S. State Department specifically cited Russia\u2019s attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure: \u201cGeneral Alexus G. Grynkewich, Commander of EUCOM and SACEUR, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that such Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, in addition to being unlawful, were strategically ineffective, noting \u2018anytime you attack a civilian population, you usually end up finding that it just hardens their resolve.\u2019\u201d\n\nThe Senators concluded: \u201cThe U.S. military has a reputation\u2014earned through the hard work and sacrifices of brave men and women who serve our nation\u2014 for honorable service and for upholding very high standards under the law of war. Not only is this a reflection of American values, but it is militarily effective. Targeting civilians undermines the mission, creating even more enemies while undermining our national security and damaging the global standing of the United States. Thank you for your service and for ensuring that CENTCOM forces uphold these values.\u201d\n\nThe Senators requested answers to the following questions by July 30, 2026:\n\nAre you legally responsible for any targeting decisions by commanders and personnel under your command? Do you consider CENTCOM officials signing off on targeting packages to be legally responsible for such decisions under the law of war?\n\nAre officers under your command aware that under the doctrine of command responsibility they have a duty to ensure subordinate personnel are following the law of war, a duty to investigate potential war crimes, a duty to hold accountable those who commit them, and that dereliction of such duties would likely constitute a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice?\n\nWill you ensure that forces under your command conduct a documented case-by-case analysis of the legality for each proposed target in Iran that could constitute civilian infrastructure, assessing whether such targets offer a concrete and direct military advantage and whether the expected harm to civilians is not excessive compared to that anticipated military advantage? And will you commit to maintaining the records of such analysis and providing them to the relevant Congressional committees, including on a classified basis, upon request?\n\nWill you order an investigation of any significant civilian casualty events resulting from U.S. military actions in Iran?\n\nRead and download the Senators\u2019 full letter to U.S. Admiral Cooper.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-25T07:13:44Z", "2026-07-25T07:15:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.welch.senate.gov/welch-and-blumenthal-warn-that-trumps-threats-to-bomb-civilian-infrastructure-in-iran-could-amount-to-war-crimes/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0271618850529194, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}