Sources say senior Pentagon officials plan to withhold an internal investigation
into a U.S. strike on a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, until at least
after the U.S. midterm elections. Advisers to the defense secretary conveyed the
plan to some Pentagon staff as the department faces mounting political pressure
over months-long inquiries and recent civilian casualties. The strike on the
first day of the war hit a Minab primary school and killed more than 150 people,
including at least 123 children — by child fatalities the deadliest U.S.
target-identification error of the 21st century. Pentagon investigators found
flawed intelligence, outdated imagery and excessive reliance on artificial
intelligence contributed to the strike. A comprehensive investigation launched
in March remains unpublished, though officials say it was largely complete
months ago.
