Preliminary investigations have shown that the United States is responsible for the missile strike on a girls' elementary school in Iran on February 28. As reported by The New York Times, citing American officials and sources familiar with the findings, the Tomahawk missile attack occurred due to a targeting error.
According to the investigation, American military forces struck a neighboring Iranian base. However, the coordinates of the target were determined using outdated data provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency. As a result, the missile hit a school building that was previously located within a military facility.
Iranian authorities stated that at least 175 people were killed in the strike, most of whom were children. The publication reports that the incident could become one of the most devastating military mistakes in recent decades.
Sources familiar with the investigation reported that investigators are trying to determine why the outdated information was not re-verified and how it was passed to US Central Command. Officials emphasize that the conclusions remain preliminary.
The investigation is also examining the work of several agencies involved in target identification, including the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which analyzes satellite imagery. According to officials, the error was likely the result of human factors rather than the application of new technologies.
According to The New York Times, the school is located near Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities in the city of Minab and was previously situated within a military base. Satellite images show that between 2013 and 2016, the building was separated from the military facility and repurposed as an educational institution.
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