US Investigation Points to Likely American Responsibility in Iran School Strike That Killed 168 Children

Introduction

A devastating airstrike on an elementary school in southern Iran that killed at least 168 people, most of them children, has become the focus of an intensive US military investigation. According to exclusive reports from Reuters and The New York Times, American military investigators believe it is likely that US forces were responsible for the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab.

The strike, which occurred on February 28, 2026—the first day of US and Israeli attacks on Iran—represents the deadliest known episode of civilian casualties since the conflict began. As images of small coffins and grieving parents spread across global media, questions about military accountability and the laws of war have intensified.

The Attack: What Happened

Timeline of Events

On the morning of February 28, 2026, as the US and Israel launched their opening attacks on Iran, three precision airstrikes hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, a city in Hormozgan province in southern Iran.

According to Iranian officials and eyewitnesses:

Time of attack: Morning, during school hours
Students present: Approximately 264 students were at the school
Casualties: At least 168 people killed, including 150 students
Injuries: At least 95 people wounded

The attack occurred simultaneously with strikes on an adjacent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval base, according to satellite imagery analysis.

The Victims

The victims were primarily girls aged 7 to 12 years old. The school served the local community in Minab, a port city on the Persian Gulf.

One mother, who asked not to be identified, described to NBC News how she received an urgent call from the school telling her to pick up her son because “the war had started.” By the time she arrived, the school had collapsed.

“People were pulling out children’s arms and legs. People were pulling out severed heads,” she told NBC News. Her son was among the dead.

The Investigation: Evidence Mounts

US Military Assessment

According to Reuters, two US officials speaking on condition of anonymity revealed that military investigators believe it is likely that US forces were responsible for the strike. However, the investigation has not yet reached a final conclusion.

The officials did not rule out the possibility that new evidence could emerge that absolves the US of responsibility and points to another party.

Satellite Imagery Analysis

The New York Times conducted an analysis using satellite imagery from Planet Labs, which revealed:

Precision strikes: Multiple precision hits destroyed at least six buildings at the adjacent IRGC naval base
Impact patterns: Four structures inside the naval base were leveled, while two others showed impact points at the center of their roofs—a signature of precision-guided munitions
“Picture-perfect” strikes: Wes J. Bryant, a former US Air Force targeting expert who reviewed the imagery, concluded that all buildings, including the school, were hit with “picture-perfect” precision strikes

Bryant suggested the most likely explanation was “target misidentification”—forces attacked the site without realizing it housed civilians.

Historical Context

Historical satellite imagery reviewed by The New York Times shows that the school building was part of the IRGC base in 2013 but had been partitioned off and repurposed as a school by September 2016.

Al Jazeera’s digital investigations unit found that the school had been clearly separate from the adjacent military site for at least 10 years, raising fundamental questions about the accuracy of intelligence information used for the bombing.

Official Responses

US Government

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged the investigation during a news briefing on March 4:

“All I can say is we’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets, but we’re taking a look and investigating that.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on March 3:

“US forces would not deliberately target a school. The Department of War would be investigating that if that was our strike.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided a statement to Reuters:

“While the Department of War is currently investigating this matter, the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America.”

US Central Command

Captain Timothy Hawkins, spokesperson for US Central Command, said:

“It would be inappropriate to comment given the incident is under investigation.”

Israeli Government

The Israeli military has declined to comment on the incident.

Some Israeli sources initially claimed the site was “part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps base,” but satellite imagery analysis has disproven this assertion.

International Reaction

United Nations

The UN human rights office called on the forces behind the attack to conduct an investigation and provide information about the incident.

UN human rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani stated:

“The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it.”

The UN committee on the rights of the child issued a statement expressing alarm:

“The committee is alarmed by reports of strikes on civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, which have injured and traumatized children, and claimed many young lives.”

Iran’s Response

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“This is how ‘rescue’ promised by Mr. Trump looks in reality. From Gaza to Minab, innocents murdered in cold blood.”

Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, raised the matter with UN human rights chief Volker Turk in a letter dated March 1, describing the attack as “unjustifiable” and “criminal.”

Funeral and Mourning

On March 3, 2026, thousands of mourners gathered in the streets of Minab for a mass funeral. Iranian state television broadcast images of the funeral, showing rows of small coffins draped with Iranian flags being passed through crowds of grieving parents and community members.

Legal and Ethical Implications

International Humanitarian Law

Under international humanitarian law, deliberately attacking a school, hospital, or any other civilian structure is considered a war crime.

Janina Dill, an expert on the laws of war at Oxford University, emphasized in an interview with The New York Times that attackers are obligated to “verify the status” of a target before striking.

Questions of Accountability

The investigation raises several critical questions:

Target verification: Did US forces properly verify that the target was a military installation rather than a civilian school?
Intelligence failures: How did intelligence systems fail to identify that the building had been a civilian school for nearly a decade?
Rules of engagement: Were proper rules of engagement followed in approving this strike?
Chain of command: Who authorized the strike and what information were they provided?
Accountability mechanisms: What accountability mechanisms exist when civilian casualties occur?

Broader Context: Civilian Casualties in the Iran War

Scale of Civilian Impact

According to figures released by the Iranian Red Crescent Society and cited by the Iranian government:

3,643 civilian locations have been targeted so far
3,090 homes damaged or destroyed
528 commercial centers hit
13 medical facilities damaged
9 Red Crescent centers struck

Several major hospitals and rehabilitation centers have also been damaged.

Comparison to Other Conflicts

The Minab school strike ranks among the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of US military conflicts in the Middle East. If US responsibility is confirmed, it would represent a significant tragedy with potential legal and diplomatic ramifications.

Media Coverage and Public Discourse

International Media Response

Major international media outlets have provided extensive coverage:

Reuters broke the exclusive story about the US investigation
The New York Times conducted detailed satellite imagery analysis
Al Jazeera provided comprehensive coverage of the attack and its aftermath
NBC News interviewed eyewitnesses and victims’ families
The Guardian covered official responses and international reactions
TRT World analyzed the implications under international law

Images and videos of the attack and its aftermath have circulated widely on social media platforms, generating global outrage and calls for accountability.

Potential Consequences

For the US Military

If US responsibility is confirmed:

Internal accountability: Military investigations could lead to disciplinary actions
Policy reviews: Rules of engagement and target verification procedures may be reviewed
Reputation damage: US credibility on civilian protection could be significantly damaged
Legal exposure: Potential war crimes investigations by international bodies

For the Iran War

The incident could have significant implications for the ongoing conflict:

Public opinion: Increased domestic and international opposition to the war
Diplomatic pressure: Greater international calls for ceasefires or negotiations
Iranian resolve: Potential strengthening of Iranian resistance and recruitment
Regional reactions: Increased criticism from Muslim-majority countries

For International Law

The case may become a significant precedent for:

Accountability mechanisms: How military forces investigate their own civilian casualties
International oversight: Role of UN and other international bodies in investigating war crimes
Transparency requirements: Pressure for greater transparency in military operations

The Path Forward

Investigation Status

As of March 6, 2026:

The US military investigation is ongoing
No final conclusion has been reached
Officials have not determined how much longer the investigation will last
Reuters could not determine what evidence investigators are seeking before completing the assessment

Calls for Action

Various actors have called for:

Transparent investigation: UN and human rights organizations demanding full transparency
Independent oversight: Calls for independent international investigation
Accountability: Demands for accountability if US responsibility is confirmed
Policy changes: Reviews of targeting procedures and rules of engagement
Ceasefire consideration: Renewed calls for ceasefire negotiations

Conclusion

The investigation into the Minab school strike represents a critical moment in the Iran war. As evidence mounts suggesting US responsibility for the deaths of at least 168 civilians, most of them children, questions of military accountability, international law, and the ethics of modern warfare have moved to the forefront of global discourse.

The attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school stands as a tragic reminder of the human cost of war and the critical importance of accurate intelligence, careful target verification, and robust accountability mechanisms. As investigations continue and the world watches, the outcome may have lasting implications for how military forces conduct operations, how civilian casualties are investigated, and how international law is enforced in conflicts around the world.

The images of small coffins and grieving families in Minab serve as a powerful indictment of war’s brutality—and a call for greater efforts to protect the innocent in conflicts that increasingly blur the lines between military targets and civilian spaces.

Sources

Reuters — “Exclusive: US investigation points to likely US responsibility in Iran school strike, sources say” — Source
The New York Times — “Analysis Suggests School Was Hit Amid U.S. Strikes on Naval Base in Iran” — Source
Al Jazeera — “Missiles fired by US, Israel hit two schools near Tehran: Iranian media” — Source
The Guardian — “Pete Hegseth says US is ‘investigating’ deadly strike on girls’ school in Iran” — Source
NBC News — “What we know about the strike on a school in Iran as the death toll rises” — Source
TRT World — “US investigation points to likely American role in Iran school bombing — report” — Source
UN News — “Iran crisis: Schoolgirls killed, thousands displaced and aid efforts ramp up” — Source