168 children killed in missile attack on Iranian school, shocking revelation in US investigation

 Washington: A US military investigation into the massive missile attack on a school in the Iranian city of Meenab has revealed a significant finding. Preliminary findings suggest the US may be responsible for the attack, which killed approximately 175 people, including 168 children. If officially confirmed, it would be one of the largest civilian casualties during US military operations in the past two decades.

Mistakes from old intelligence data

According to US officials, the attack occurred at an elementary school in the town of Minab. An investigation revealed that United States Central Command used outdated intelligence data from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to select the target.

The Tomahawk missile was not actually targeting the school, but a nearby Iranian military base. This school was formerly part of the same military complex but was later separated.

Shajareh Taybeh Elementary School was reportedly connected to the military base until 2017. A wall subsequently separated the campus and the watchtower was removed. The school building was painted brightly and was clearly marked as a “school” on online maps.

The attack occurred on Saturday morning, the first day of the school week in Iran, and a large number of children were present at the school at the time.

Did the AI ​​system make a mistake?

Following this tragedy, questions are being raised about whether the error was caused by an artificial intelligence system. The US military relies heavily on technology and AI-based targeting systems in the ongoing war with Iran.

According to reports, the US military uses the “Maven Smart System” from war-tech company Palantir Technologies. It uses the model “Claude” from AI company Anthropic, which provides real-time location and targeting data.

Initial fears are that the AI ​​system failed to update the school’s changed location and usage, leading to the fatal error.

The official US stance

The US reiterated its policy of not attacking civilian targets and said an investigation was ongoing. US President Donald Trump initially claimed that Iran itself may have bombed the school because its weapons are often inaccurate. However, he later said he would await the results of the investigation and accept the Pentagon’s report.

Questions have also been raised in the US Congress regarding this incident. More than 45 Democratic senators have written a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding answers. Republican Senators Kevin Cramer and Tim Kaine have also called for a thorough investigation into the incident.

Iran’s sharp accusation

Following the attack, Iran has accused the US of war crimes. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, shared a video of the attack on social media, calling it a “heinous war crime.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi shared drone footage of the mass graves, saying the attack was a murder of innocent children and should not go unpunished.

The incident has raised serious questions internationally amid the already tense Iran-Israel conflict and has also sparked a new debate on the use of AI technology in warfare.