US missile hit Iranian elementary school due to outdated intelligence, early findings suggest

WASHINGTON, DC: A preliminary US military investigation is pointing to faulty targeting intelligence as the likely cause behind a devastating missile strike that reportedly hit an elementary school in southeastern Iran.

On February 28, a Tomahawk missile struck the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school building in Minab, a city in Iran’s Hormozgan province along the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian reports say at least 175 people were killed in the attack, with most of the victims believed to be children.

According to US officials who spoke to the New York Times, early findings suggest the tragedy may have stemmed from outdated intelligence used during the targeting process.

NBC News also reported that "outdated intelligence likely led to a deadly missile strike," citing a US official and three sources familiar with the findings.

Minab elementary school building was reportedly once part of a military compound

The missile strike took place on the opening day of the recent joint US-Israeli bombardment campaign against Iran. The intended target, according to officials familiar with the investigation, was an Iranian military installation located next to the school.

However, the building that was struck had once been part of the military compound.

Investigators say the Defense Intelligence Agency, which assists in identifying and developing targets, had labeled the structure as a military site in its “target coding.” That information was later passed to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

Officials familiar with the probe told the New York Times that the targeting designation was based on outdated data.

Satellite imagery appears to support that conclusion. Images reviewed as part of the investigation show the school building had been separated from the surrounding military base sometime between 2013 and 2016. The site had also undergone visible changes that suggested civilian use.

Watchtowers that once stood near the structure had been removed, while play areas (including a sports field painted directly on asphalt) appeared around the building. Satellite imagery also shows the exterior walls painted pink and blue, according to the Times.

Historic satellite imagery further shows the building was fenced off from the wider compound for at least nine years. The facility also displayed clear signs of being an educational site, including colorful murals and small sports fields visible in some satellite images.

Despite those changes, the outdated classification appears to have remained in the intelligence system used to select targets.

It remains unclear how the outdated data was transmitted to CENTCOM or whether the Defense Intelligence Agency had access to updated information before the strike.

Investigators have also said it is not yet known precisely when the school began operating at the site.

There is currently no indication that the building was being used for military purposes at the time of the strike. Its location next to an Iranian military base, however, may explain why the surrounding area was chosen as a target during the bombardment campaign.

US officials respond as investigation continues

The investigation’s early findings surfaced just days after a senior Republican publicly apologized for the incident.

“It was terrible. We made a mistake,” Sen John Kennedy (R-LA) told reporters on Capitol Hill earlier this week.

Officials in Washington have stressed that the inquiry is still ongoing.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was waiting for the full results before drawing any conclusions.

“As the New York Times acknowledges in its own reporting, the investigation is still ongoing,” she said in a statement.  

Leavitt also reiterated that President Donald Trump would accept the outcome of the probe once it is complete.

The Republican leader, however, offered a different explanation for the attack over the weekend, suggesting Iran itself was responsible for the blast.

“In my opinion, based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran," he said, "They’re very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever. It was done by Iran.”

But that claim has raised questions. Iran is not believed to possess Tomahawk missiles. The cruise missiles were developed in the US and are only operated by a small number of countries.

Military spokespeople have not echoed Trump’s claim and have said only that the incident is still under review.

On Wednesday, March 11, the Pentagon issued a brief response when asked about the strike. “The incident is under investigation," it said.

A spokesperson for CENTCOM gave a similarly cautious answer. “It would be inappropriate to comment given the incident is under investigation,” the official said.