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WASHINGTON, Aug. 9-- As accusations grew over U.S. reported support of the Saudi-led coalition in the recent attack in Yemen that had caused huge civilian casualties, U.S. State Department on Thursday urged to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the airstrikes. In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said although Washington does not have full details of the attacks on the ground, it is certainly "concerned about" the reports of civilian casualties in the war-torn Middle East nation. "We call on the Saudi-led coalition to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident. We take all credible accounts of civilian casualties very seriously. We call on the parties to take appropriate measures to protect civilians in accordance with international law and urge all parties to investigate all reported incidents of civilian casualties," she said. Washington has been reportedly provided weapons, training and targeting data to Saudi Arabia that had facilitated the attacks. As questions has also mounted over the Saudi-led coalition's earlier assertion that the attacks had been conducted in accordance with international law, the call for further investigation into the issue by independent bodies has been rising. Nauert dodged the questions, only saying that "we regret any loss of civilian life" and "Saudi Arabia is an important strategic partner in the region to the United States." | 
