US Military Likely Launched Deadly Missile Strike On Iranian Girls' School; Congress To Be Briefed

US military officials are preparing a final assessment that will be shared with Congress in the coming days after a deadly missile strike hit a girls’ school in southern Iran, and multiple sources say evidence is building that the strike was likely carried out by US forces based on outdated intelligence.

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BBC

RFE/RL reported that "A final assessment by US military officials of events surrounding a deadly missile strike on an Iranian girls' school will be shared with Congress in the coming days, sources told RFE/RL" and said "Evidence is building that the strike may be the result of US forces relying on outdated intelligence."

BBC

CNN likewise reported that "The US military accidentally struck an Iranian elementary school likely due to outdated information about a nearby naval base, according to sources."

BBC Verify added an analytic element, reporting that "Expert video analysis shows a US Tomahawk missile hit a military base near the school, BBC Verify has reported."

Official casualty totals reported by Iranian and international outlets differ, with local Iranian figures putting the death toll in the hundreds and varying counts for child victims.

RFE/RL reported the February 28 strike "killing at least 175 people, including 168 children, according to local officials."

CNN

BBC cited Iran’s accusation that the attack killed "168 people, including around 110 children."

CNN referenced Iranian state media saying the strike "killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers."

These differences underline that casualty reporting remains contested and constrained by limited access to the affected area.

US and military intelligence entities have not confirmed the preliminary assessments and have publicly declined detailed comment while investigations proceed, according to the reporting.

“Congress To Be Briefed As Probe Examines Iran School Strike, Sources Tell RFE/RL WASHINGTON -- A final assessment by US military officials of events surrounding a deadly missile strike on an Iranian girls' school will be shared with Congress in the coming days, sources told RFE/RL amid growing reports that the attack was likely launched by the United States”

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

RFE/RL described two US officials who "cautioned that the assessment remains preliminary" and said the officials "could not confirm or deny reports -- which have appeared in The New York Times and Reuters, among other media outlets -- on the faulty intelligence, but they added that early findings point in a similar direction."

CNN reported that "a Defense Intelligence Agency spokesperson said, 'The incident is under investigation; we defer to the Pentagon for further comment.' A spokesperson for US Central Command also declined to comment on the preliminary findings, citing the ongoing investigation."

BBC noted that "The US said it was looking into reports about the incident, while Israel said it was 'not aware' of any military operations in the area," highlighting official caution and differing public stances.

Analysts and verification efforts cited in the coverage point to imagery and open-source analysis linking a Tomahawk missile strike to a nearby military site, reinforcing the thesis that faulty target information may have been used.

BBC Verify reported that "Expert video analysis shows a US Tomahawk missile hit a military base near the school, BBC Verify has reported."

BBC

RFE/RL said "evidence is building that the strike may be the result of US forces relying on outdated intelligence,"

CNN summarized the preliminary investigative finding as "likely due to outdated information about a nearby naval base, according to two sources briefed on the preliminary findings of an ongoing military investigation."

Taken together, the reporting suggests multiple lines of inquiry—satellite and video analysis, witness reports, and intelligence reviews—are converging but not yet definitive.

The strike and its ensuing probe are unfolding amid wider regional escalation and civilian displacement, factors likely to shape congressional scrutiny when officials are briefed.

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CNN

RFE/RL highlighted broader humanitarian effects, citing the UN refugee agency that said "Between 600,000 and 1 million Iranian households are now temporarily displaced inside Iran as a result of the ongoing conflict, according to preliminary assessments, representing up to 3.2 million people," the UNHCR statement said on March 12.

CNN

BBC noted media restrictions and other violent incidents, saying "Access to Iran for international journalists is limited, and internet connectivity in the country has been almost entirely restricted" and that "an Iranian warship was also sunk by a US submarine in the Indian Ocean near the coast of Sri Lanka. At least 87 people were killed."

CNN pointed to economic and strategic fallout, reporting that "Oil prices have climbed 38 cents in just the last week, and 64 cents in the last month, in reaction to the war and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz."

These elements frame why lawmakers are set to receive the US military's final assessment and why outcomes could have diplomatic and regional security consequences.