Pentagon investigation reveals: faulty intelligence and artificial intelligence led to killing of children in Iran
A Pentagon internal investigation determined that a combination of faulty intelligence, outdated satellite imagery, and over-reliance on artificial intelligence led to the deadly strike on a school in Minab, Iran, killing at least 123 children. A chain of operational failures, time pressure, and cuts to oversight teams paved the way for the disaster.
A Pentagon internal investigation determined that a deadly combination of faulty intelligence, outdated satellite imagery, and over-reliance on artificial intelligence systems led to the American missile strike on a school in Minab, Iran, on February 28, in which at least 123 children were killed. This was reported by Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the details. Two Tomahawk missiles struck the Shajara Tayyiba elementary school and its courtyard, resulting in the deaths of more than 150 people. The Pentagon knew within hours that American forces were responsible, but Washington refrained from accepting official responsibility. UN investigators determined this week that there is a basis to classify the attack as a war crime. President Trump disclaimed responsibility, saying, "I don't think anyone will ever be able to say what happened there." The investigation revealed a chain of failures: the military relied on old data that classified the compound as a military base, even though the school had been operating there for nearly a decade. An analyst identified changes as early as 2019, but his notes remained in a separate system. Additionally, over-reliance on Palantir's artificial intelligence system "Maven," which cut target planning to minutes, caused teams to rely on the algorithm without human verification. Furthermore, the dismantling of Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) units by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reduced personnel to fewer than 20 people, and Central Command was left with a single staff member.