Pentagon and UN probe deadly U.S. airstrikes in Iran

A Pentagon investigation and a UN-backed mission have identified significant failures leading to deadly U.S. airstrikes in Iran on February 28, 2026. The strikes, which occurred during a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign, resulted in the deaths of at least 178 civilians.

In Minab, Tomahawk missiles struck the Shajarah Tayyebeh Elementary School, killing over 150 people, including approximately 123 children. The Pentagon probe attributed the strike to outdated intelligence, compressed targeting procedures, reduced staffing for civilian-protection specialists, and an overreliance on AI-enabled military systems. Although the school featured clear civilian indicators like murals and playgrounds, military databases still categorized the site as an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facility.

A second strike hit a sports complex and residential area in Lamerd, killing 22 civilians using precision strike missiles that dispersed tungsten pellets. The UN-backed Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran stated there are ‘reasonable grounds to believe’ the United States committed war crimes, classifying the attacks as indiscriminate due to a failure to verify civilian presence before launching ordnance.