Good afternoon. Four major developments are dominating the headlines right now.
First, a U.S. military investigation has concluded that the United States was responsible for a deadly strike on an elementary school in Iran. Second, new reporting reveals that an Iranian drone attack on U.S. forces caused far more casualties than the government initially disclosed. Third, a foreign hacker breached FBI systems and may have accessed files connected to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. I also spoke with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker about these developments.
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Story 1: U.S. Strike on Iranian School
An ongoing U.S. military investigation has determined that American forces were responsible for a deadly Tomahawk missile strike on an Iranian elementary school, according to U.S. officials who spoke to the New York Times along with others familiar with the preliminary findings.
The February 28 strike destroyed the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school building. Investigators say the attack was the result of a targeting mistake during U.S. strikes on a nearby Iranian military base. The school building had previously been part of that military complex, which contributed to the error.
According to people briefed on the investigation who spoke to the New York Times, officers at U.S. Central Command created the strike coordinates using outdated intelligence data supplied by the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Officials stress that the findings remain preliminary and that investigators are still trying to determine why the outdated information was not verified before the strike was carried out.
When asked whether he takes responsibility after reports confirmed the U.S. struck the school, Donald Trump responded that he did not know about the report and declined to accept responsibility.
Iranian officials say at least 175 people were killed in the strike, most of them children. If confirmed, the attack would likely rank among the most devastating single targeting errors by the U.S. military in decades.
Story 2: Iranian Drone Attack Caused Far More Casualties
A deadly Iranian drone attack in Kuwait that killed six U.S. service members early in the war with Iran caused significantly more casualties than the government initially disclosed.
Multiple sources told CBS News that dozens of U.S. personnel were injured in the strike. The injuries include traumatic brain injuries, shrapnel wounds, severe burns, and at least one amputation.
The attack targeted a tactical operations center at the Shuaiba port outside Kuwait City on March 1. Sources described a chaotic scene in the aftermath as smoke filled the building and rescue teams struggled to reach those trapped inside.
More than 30 service members remained hospitalized Tuesday night.
One patient is being treated at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Twelve are at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center near Washington, D.C. About 25 others are being treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Roughly 20 wounded personnel arrived at Landstuhl aboard a C-17 military transport aircraft with injuries designated as urgent. These included traumatic brain injuries, memory loss, and severe concussions.
More than 100 medical personnel were deployed to assist with treatment at Landstuhl.
Initially, the Defense Department reported that five service members were seriously wounded and that several others had minor shrapnel injuries and concussions. Sources now say the scope of the injuries was far greater.
Two service members were initially reported missing after the strike and were later discovered beneath the rubble.
The military classifies a serious injury as one that requires medical attention and where competent medical authorities determine that death is possible but unlikely within 72 hours.
Story 3: FBI Warns California of Possible Iranian Attack
According to Reuters, the FBI has warned law enforcement agencies in California that Iran could potentially retaliate for U.S. military strikes by launching drone attacks against the American West Coast. According to a federal alert reviewed by ABC News, investigators received information suggesting that as of early February 2026 Iran had considered carrying out a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles launched from an unidentified vessel positioned off the U.S. coast, potentially targeting locations in California.
The alert noted that authorities currently have no specific intelligence about the timing, targets, or perpetrators involved in such an operation. The warning was circulated to police departments shortly before the Trump administration began its latest round of military strikes against Iran, as Tehran continues retaliatory drone attacks against U.S. and allied targets across the Middle East under the government of Donald Trump.
Story 4: Hacker May Have Accessed Epstein Files
A foreign hacker breached servers connected to the FBI’s New York field office and may have accessed files related to the bureau’s investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The incident occurred during a break-in at the office three years ago, according to a source familiar with the matter and newly released Justice Department documents reviewed by Reuters.
Details about the intrusion and the possibility that Epstein files were involved are being reported publicly for the first time.
In a statement to The Guardian and Reuters, the FBI described the incident as an isolated cyber event.
According to the bureau, access to the malicious actor was quickly restricted and the affected network was secured. The investigation remains ongoing.
The source familiar with the breach that spoke to Reuters said the intrusion appears to have been carried out by a cybercriminal rather than a foreign government. However, security experts say the Epstein files would be an obvious target for intelligence agencies because of their potential political and intelligence value.
The Justice Department’s legally mandated release of Epstein-related records has already exposed connections between the financier and prominent figures in politics, finance, academia, and business. Those revelations have triggered investigations in multiple countries.
Epstein, who had longstanding connections with powerful figures including Donald Trump, pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges involving an underage girl. He was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and was later found dead in his jail cell in what authorities ruled a suicide.