Exclusive: US military hasn’t conducted standard review of intelligence tied to strike on school in Iran, sources say

Exclusive: US Misses Intelligence Review in Iran School Strike

Exclusive: U.S. military officials have failed to initiate a standard intelligence review of the strike that hit a school in Iran, according to insiders. The attack, which targeted the Shajareh Tayyiba school in Minab, resulted in the deaths of 168 children and 14 adults. Despite the incident’s significance, the process to analyze the strike’s details has been delayed for months, raising concerns about accountability and oversight.

Delayed Full Assessment

While the initial steps of a battle damage assessment were completed within days of the strike, the final phase—led by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)—was never ordered. This stage, designed to scrutinize satellite imagery and intelligence sources, was meant to identify the root cause of the error. However, sources indicate that the process was put on hold by senior commanders, leaving critical questions unanswered.

"The decision to skip the full review was driven by 'expediency' to quickly provide targets at the start of the war," two sources emphasized.

The delay has drawn scrutiny from both internal and external analysts, who argue that the absence of a comprehensive evaluation could have exposed systemic flaws in the targeting system. The Pentagon’s Central Command (CENTCOM) restricted access to the data, allowing only a select group of officers to review it, further complicating the investigation.

Pentagon's Justification for Delay

A Pentagon official told CNN that the ongoing internal probe would replace the traditional third-phase review. They defended the delay, stating that the findings from the March announcement highlighted the need for a broader analysis. “The process was delayed to ensure a thorough evaluation of the mistakes,” the official explained, attributing the oversight to a complex chain of command and operational pressures.

Exclusive reports suggest that the intelligence review was not just delayed but also partially abandoned. While the DIA conducted an initial, less detailed assessment, the more rigorous phase—where analysts would cross-reference data to confirm accuracy—was left unexecuted. This gap in the process has fueled criticism that the U.S. military prioritized speed over precision in its targeting operations.

Exclusive insights from sources reveal that the intelligence used to plan the strike was outdated. This may have contributed to the error, as the data failed to accurately reflect the school’s location. The lack of a full review has left the incident open to interpretation, with some questioning whether the strike was a result of human error, technical miscalculations, or broader strategic miscalculations.

Analysts stress that a complete assessment could have clarified the incident’s causes, even if it didn’t definitively assign blame. The missed review might have also provided an opportunity to address flaws in the intelligence-gathering process, which could prevent similar mistakes in future operations. “Exclusive: The review was an essential step to ensure transparency and accountability,” said one expert, highlighting the importance of such analyses in military operations.