**US Commanders Ignored Intelligence Warnings Before Deadly Strike on Iranian Girls’ School**
Senior military officials in the United States reportedly disregarded critical intelligence warnings regarding outdated target information prior to a devastating airstrike on an Iranian girls’ school. This incident, which occurred on February 28, coincided with the commencement of a US-Israeli military operation against Iran, resulting in the tragic deaths of 120 students aged 6 to 13, along with 36 adults.
According to a report by CNN, sources familiar with the decision-making process indicated that there were embedded warnings within the Pentagon’s targeting system. These warnings suggested that the intelligence used to identify certain strike sites was based on information that was several years old and required further verification before any military action could be authorized. However, these cautions were reportedly overridden as commanders prioritized expediency in compiling strike lists.
The urgency to accelerate the approval of strike options was highlighted by three sources who spoke to CNN. In response to the incident, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a formal investigation in March. CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper stated in May that the results of this inquiry would be made public once it was completed.
Reports indicate that US military officials quickly understood the nature of the mistake following the strike. One source noted that the intelligence used was evidently outdated. A separate report from Bloomberg revealed that an investigation completed in April found that the strike resulted from significant gaps in the military’s targeting system. Specifically, a US intelligence analyst had identified the Minab site as an elementary school in 2019, rather than a facility associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). However, this updated assessment was not communicated to military commanders, as it was entered into a digital intelligence tool that was not connected to the Pentagon’s official targeting database.
In the aftermath of the strike, former US President Donald Trump commented on the incident, expressing uncertainty over the exact circumstances. He noted, “There were missiles flying all over the place, and it’s horrible what happened… somebody said it was our missile, maybe it wasn’t our missile but I have seen nothing to lead me to believe it was.”
Iranian officials have condemned the attack, labeling it a war crime and a crime against humanity, and have called for accountability regarding the incident.
As the investigation continues, the implications of this strike and the decisions made by military commanders are likely to be scrutinized closely, both within the US and internationally. The tragic loss of life, particularly among young students, has raised significant concerns about the processes and protocols in place for military operations and the importance of accurate intelligence in preventing such devastating outcomes.