Senior US military commanders bypassed database warnings regarding outdated intelligence to expedite target approvals, directly causing a February 28, 2026, airstrike on the Shajareh Tayyiba school in Minab, Iran, which killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers. This devastating incident occurred on the first day of combat operations as personnel rushed to generate strike lists.
The tragedy was exacerbated by systemic reliance on the legacy Modernized Integrated Database (MIDB) and the newer Machine-Assisted Analytic Rapid-Repository System (MARS), both of which clearly flagged the target data as over ten years old. Furthermore, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's prior decision to slash Central Command's Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response staff by over 90 percent left target development and strike teams severely under-resourced. While the Pentagon's investigation remains unreleased four months later, President Donald Trump continues to threaten a resumption of large-scale bombing campaigns despite ongoing bilateral diplomatic talks.
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