Evidence emerging from a joint media investigation indicates that a devastating strike on a girls’ elementary school in southern Iran may have been carried out by US forces, according to reports by The New York Times and Reuters.
The strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in the city of Minab on February 28 is considered the deadliest civilian casualty incident since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran. Iranian officials say at least 175 people were killed, most of them young schoolgirls attending classes at the time.
While no country has formally claimed responsibility, a growing body of evidence — including satellite imagery, verified videos and analysis of strike patterns — suggests the attack likely resulted from a US precision strike targeting a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval facility.
Evidence points to precision strike
Satellite imagery reviewed by investigators reportedly shows multiple precision-guided impacts on several buildings within the IRGC naval base located close to the school. The images indicate that at least six structures inside the base were destroyed during the same wave of attacks.
Military analysts who reviewed the imagery told investigators that the strike pattern resembled “precision” targeting typically associated with guided munitions. According to one former US Air Force targeting specialist, the buildings — including the school — appeared to have been hit with highly accurate strikes, suggesting the possibility of a targeting error rather than a random blast.
Historical satellite images cited in the report indicate that the structure now used as a school was once part of the IRGC compound but had been separated and converted into an educational facility several years earlier.
US says investigation under way
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed that the Pentagon is investigating the incident but stressed that American forces do not deliberately target civilian sites.
“We never target civilian targets, but we’re taking a look and investigating that,” he said during a news briefing.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also rejected the suggestion that the United States would intentionally strike a school, referring further questions to the Defence Department.
According to US officials cited by Reuters, investigators believe it is likely that American forces carried out the strike, though they have not yet reached a final conclusion.
Calls for independent investigation
The United Nations human rights office has called for a transparent and impartial investigation into the attack, stressing that those responsible must determine how the strike occurred.
Under international humanitarian law, deliberately targeting civilian structures such as schools can constitute a war crime.
Images broadcast on Iranian state television showed mass funerals in Minab, with rows of small coffins carried by grieving families and mourners, underscoring the scale of the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, US officials have not ruled out the possibility that additional evidence could alter the findings. However, analysts say the current evidence — including the timing of strikes on the nearby naval base and the characteristics of the impact patterns — strongly suggests the school was struck during a US operation targeting IRGC facilities.