U.S. Central Command Reduces Civilian-Harm Office From 10 Employees to One

U.S. Central Command head Adm. Brad Cooper on Thursday confirmed that the office focused on civilian-harm reduction was cut from 10 employees to one. The change comes after a deadly bombing of an Iranian school occurred at the beginning of U.S. military operations against Tehran. The office had been part of the military's efforts to minimize civilian casualties during operations in the region.

The downsizing leaves the unit with a single employee.

Officials had previously maintained a staff of 10 dedicated to tracking and reducing civilian harm. The confirmation was provided by the top U.S. military leader in the area. It marks a significant reduction in personnel assigned to the specialized function.

The school bombing took place as U.S. forces began operations against Tehran. The incident resulted in civilian deaths and drew attention to the risks associated with military actions in populated areas. The civilian-harm reduction office had been established to address such risks through planning, oversight and after-action reviews.

Its reduction occurs while U.S. Central Command continues to conduct operations in the Middle East.