Bloomberg: U.S. Intelligence Database Error Led to Deadly Iran School Strike, Pentagon Probe Finds
A Pentagon commission concluded that a strike on a girls' school in southern Iran, which killed 175 people, was caused by an error in U.S. military and intelligence databases, Bloomberg reported citing sources.
A Pentagon investigation has determined that a missile strike on a girls' school in the Iranian city of Minab, which killed 175 people—mostly children aged 7 to 12—was the result of an error in U.S. military and intelligence databases, according to sources familiar with the findings who spoke to Bloomberg.
The commission found that in 2019, a U.S. intelligence analyst discovered that a site listed in a database as a naval base was actually an elementary school. The analyst updated the digital intelligence database of potential targets in Iran, but for unknown reasons, the change did not sync with the official U.S. military database, and the information never reached military commanders.
Denials and Evidence
President Donald Trump has denied U.S. responsibility, saying missiles were "flying everywhere" and the U.S. may not have been behind the attack. However, in March 2026, the White House acknowledged that U.S. forces had struck the area around the school, though not the school itself.
The New York Times reported that the strike was carried out with Tomahawk missiles, citing photographs of debris showing U.S. military markings.
The Pentagon's report is currently under review by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
