‘Outdated intelligence’: US faces mounting evidence in deadly strike on Iran school
Preliminary findings suggest the US relied on target coordinates for the February 28 missile strike using outdated data
Outdated intelligence likely led to the United States carrying out a deadly missile strike on a junior school in Iran that killed over 165 people, many of them children, in the opening hours of the conflict, according to a US official and a second person briefed on findings of a preliminary US military investigation into the incident.
The bombing of the school and its casualties involving children has become a focal point of the war, and if ultimately confirmed to be at the hands of the US, would also stand among the highest civilian casualty events caused by American military operations in the last two decades.
US President Donald Trump initially blamed Iran for the attack, later said he was not certain who was to blame, and then said he would accept the results of the Pentagon’s investigation. The issue took on added urgency on Wednesday after The New York Times first reported that a preliminary investigation found that the US was responsible.
US Central Command relied on target coordinates for the strike using outdated data provided by the Defence Intelligence Agency, according to the person familiar with the preliminary finding. The agency did not respond to a request for comment.
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The preliminary finding prompted immediate calls for more information from the Pentagon. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “the investigation is still ongoing”.