Lead

US military leadership has held off on ordering a full intelligence review to help determine the events surrounding the US-attributed strike that hit a school in Iran during the initial strikes of Operation Epic Fury, according to a CNN report cited by multiple outlets. The report, based on sources familiar with the matter, indicates that while initial assessments supported reports that it had been a US strike, the standard follow-up investigation was not ordered.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post, citing CNN, reported that US military leadership held off on ordering the intelligence review. The newspaper detailed that the first two stages of a "battle damage assessment" were conducted within a week of the strike, focusing on whether the intended target was hit. However, the next standard step—where analysts from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) review all available information, including satellite imagery—was not ordered as of early July.

TASS, also citing CNN, reported that the US armed forces have "still not carried out" a full standard review of the intelligence that may have been used in the strike. The Russian news agency noted that officials had not analyzed the entire body of intelligence, including satellite imagery, and that only an initial check was conducted.

Both outlets agree that the full review was not conducted, but they frame the story slightly differently: the Jerusalem Post emphasizes the lack of transparency and the locking down of information, while TASS presents the facts more neutrally.

Key Claims

  • US military leadership did not order the full intelligence review that would have been standard after a noteworthy strike.
  • The first two stages of the battle damage assessment were conducted within a week, but the deeper analysis by the DIA was not ordered.
  • An independent investigation was launched in March, with interviews conducted with service members involved in the strike.
  • Results of the review have not been released. A Defense Department official told CNN that "the investigation is ongoing."
  • According to CNN's sources, information from interviews was "locked down" by CENTCOM, with access given to only a select few officers.
  • The strike on a school in Iran killed 175 people, including 168 students, according to Iranian authorities.
  • President Donald Trump blamed Iran's armed forces for the attack without offering evidence, as reported by TASS.
  • The Jerusalem Post reports that the Trump administration was upset with the DIA assessment after the 12-day war, and that the use of classification power has grown to unprecedented levels.

Perspectives

Jerusalem Post

The Jerusalem Post frames the story critically, emphasizing the lack of transparency and the withholding of information by US military leadership. It highlights that the independent investigation's results were not released and that information was "locked down" by CENTCOM.

TASS

TASS presents the facts in a neutral tone, focusing on the lack of a full standard review and the ongoing investigation. It also notes that Trump blamed Iran without evidence and that missile fragments identified as American were found.