Overview
- A missile strike that hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school on Feb. 28 killed more than 175 students and teachers, according to Iranian officials and multiple news reports.
- U.S. military investigators elevated the case and say the inquiry is nearing completion, but the Pentagon has not published the final report or formally acknowledged responsibility.
- Reporting based on internal reviews and imagery analysis found an initial U.S. probe concluded American forces were likely responsible and pointed to a Tomahawk cruise missile as a probable cause.
- Investigators say targeting relied on imagery that had not been updated for years and that an earlier analyst warning that the building appeared to be a school did not reach targeting officers.
- A recent Pentagon inspector general review found the military lacks personnel and tools to meet civilian‑harm policy and that offices handling civilian harm have been pared or closed, a shortfall that helps explain delays and raises questions about future accountability and diplomatic fallout as Iran demands legal action and President Trump says the strike was not deliberate.