Pentagon officials acknowledged within minutes that a U.S. strike had hit a school filled with children, initially believing the target was an Iranian military base. However, internal assessments and mounting public evidence, including satellite imagery and eyewitness accounts, confirmed a tragic error within days.
A preliminary investigation concluded within two weeks of the February 28th strike that a targeting error, stemming from outdated data, led to the Tomahawk missile hitting the school. Iranian officials reported that at least 175 people, predominantly children, perished in the attack.
More than 100 days have passed since the strike, and U.S. officials have yet to publicly accept responsibility for the civilian deaths, which occurred amid thousands of non-combatant casualties in the region before a recent tentative ceasefire. The full investigation is reportedly complete but awaits final approval from senior military leaders, Mr. Hegseth, and the White House, according to anonymous military sources.
The timeline for the report's public release and any potential repercussions for personnel involved remain undetermined. When questioned about the prolonged silence, the Pentagon issued a statement last week indicating that the incident is "still under investigation."
