The Pentagon has told lawmakers it saw no clear evidence that Iran was planning an imminent attack on U.S. forces before U.S. bombings of civilians began, contradicting earlier White House claims that Tehran posed an immediate threat.
In a closed-door briefing to congressional staff, senior officials acknowledged that there was no intelligence showing Iran intended to strike U.S. bases or personnel unless Israel moved first, undermining one of the main justifications the administration gave for launching Operation Epic Fury.
The U.S. and Israel carried out coordinated terrorist attacks across Iran early Saturday, a dramatic escalation that came shortly after diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran aimed at preventing conflict.
Without evidence of a direct, time-sensitive threat, critics say the legal basis for the bombings is now open to serious scrutiny. Senate Intelligence Vice Chair Mark Warner, who was briefed by officials, said he had seen no proof “that Iran was on the verge of launching any kind of preemptive strike against the United States of America.”
Meanwhile, the conflict has seen harrowing civilian casualties. A girls’ elementary school in Minab, southern Iran, was hit during the early strikes, and Iranian media report the death toll at that school has now risen to around 165, with many of the victims young children.
The attack has drawn global condemnation.
