Senior US military commanders reportedly overrode warnings that intelligence used to identify certain targets in Iran was outdated, approving strikes that included one on a school that killed nearly 200 people, according to a report by CNN.
Citing three sources familiar with the decision-making process, CNN reported that warnings embedded in military targeting systems indicated that intelligence on several sites was years old and required revalidation before being used for operational planning.
According to the report, senior officers approved the targets despite those alerts. Two sources told CNN the decision was taken for "expediency" as military planners rushed to assemble strike packages during the opening phase of the conflict.
The controversial strike took place on 28 February, when US forces targeted an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facility near the Shajareh Tayyiba school in Minab. An initial military investigation found that the school was mistakenly struck during the operation.
Iranian state media reported that at least 168 children and 14 teachers were killed in the attack, making it one of the deadliest incidents involving civilian casualties linked to recent US military operations.
US military officials "knew within days (of the strike on the school) how the mistake happened," one source told CNN. "It was obviously old info."
Although the Pentagon launched an investigation shortly after the incident, its findings have yet to be made public.
A White House official told CNN that "this investigation is ongoing."
"As we have said, the United States does not target civilians," the official added.
According to the report, the strike occurred amid a rapid expansion of US military operations against Iran after President Donald Trump authorised combat action. Intelligence analysts and military planners were reportedly under pressure to update targeting information for thousands of sites across the country.
Sources said priority was given to so-called "upper-tier" targets, including missile sites and other locations considered immediate threats to US forces. Fixed installations were categorised as lower-priority targets and, in many cases, their intelligence records were not updated before operations began.
"It was how [military officials] were re-validating targets rapidly by prioritizing what we thought was the most dangerous to US forces and the mission — like missile sites and aircraft," one source said.
The report said some of the intelligence records used during the campaign were more than a decade old, including information relating to the IRGC facility adjacent to the school.
The Pentagon's primary targeting databases — the Modernized Integrated Database (MIDB) and the newer Machine-Assisted Analytic Rapid-Repository System (MARS) — reportedly contained clear warnings indicating that information on several Iranian targets required updating before use.
Sources also told CNN that an intelligence analyst had previously flagged changes at the site through another digital intelligence platform. However, that information was not integrated into the official databases used for target development and was never passed on to commanders responsible for approving strikes.
The report added that investigators are examining whether shortcomings in the Pentagon's intelligence systems contributed to the mistaken strike.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Trump suggested Iran might bear responsibility for the incident and later said responsibility may never be fully established. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged a comprehensive review, saying the strike would be "thoroughly" investigated and that the US had "attempted in every way possible to avoid civilian casualties."
CNN also reported that senior Pentagon officials exerted significant pressure on military commanders and intelligence analysts to produce target lists quickly before and during the conflict.
"The Pentagon is pressing everyone to move faster," one source told CNN. "A lot of former hedge-fund people and made-for-TV personalities in the mix. But leadership at CENTCOM did not push back either."
Two sources further claimed that staffing reductions in Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR) programmes may have increased the risk of mistakes. According to the report, personnel dedicated to assessing civilian harm had been sharply reduced under reforms introduced by Hegseth.
One source told CNN, "I know the CHMR team at CENTCOM was still trying to do the best possible work, they were just not staffed and resourced like they needed to be because of Hegseth."
The Office of the Secretary of Defense did not respond to CNN's request for comment regarding the reported reductions in civilian casualty mitigation programmes.
While large-scale US strikes against Iran have largely subsided amid diplomatic discussions between Washington and Tehran, Trump has continued to warn that military action could resume if negotiations fail, the report added.
Iran school attack / USA
While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.
Copyright © 2026 THE BUSINESS STANDARD
All rights reserved.
