The destruction of a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, in February 2026, where more than a hundred schoolchildren were reportedly killed, may mark a troubling moment in the evolution of warfare. Beyond the immediate tragedy lies a deeper and largely unexplored question: could this be one of the first instances of large-scale civilian death shaped by artificial intelligence in modern war?

Modern warfare increasingly relies on algorithmic systems that process vast streams of intelligence—satellite imagery, drone surveillance, behavioural patterns, and movement data—to identify potential targets. Systems such as Project Maven illustrate how artificial intelligence has become embedded within military targeting infrastructures. These systems detect patterns—clusters of people, unusual movement, or activity around buildings—that might indicate military operations.

However, algorithms do not understand context; they recognize........

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