US Defence Secretary Confirms Investigation Into Alleged School Strike in Iran
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has announced that Washington is actively investigating claims that an American missile struck an Iranian school at the onset of the conflict. This development follows the emergence of new footage that an expert investigative group identifies as likely showing a US Tomahawk missile hitting a compound in southern Iran, mere metres from the school where a devastating unclaimed explosion killed over 165 individuals on February 28.
Conflicting Statements from US Officials
When questioned by a reporter about US responsibility for the blast, which predominantly claimed the lives of children, former President Donald Trump stated on Saturday: 'No, in my opinion, based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran.' Trump further criticised Iran's military accuracy, remarking: 'They have no accuracy whatsoever. It was done by Iran.'
However, Hegseth promptly intervened to clarify that the United States is investigating the incident, which occurred in Iran's Hormozgan Province. Addressing the tragedy during a press conference on Wednesday, Hegseth emphasised: 'We of course never target civilian targets, but we’re taking a look and investigating that.'
Expert Analysis and Evidence
Based on satellite image analysis, experts assert that the school, located adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base in Minab, Iran, was probably struck during a rapid series of bombs dropped on the compound. The newly surfaced footage, initially analysed by the investigative group Bellingcat and circulated on Sunday by Iran's Mehr news agency, depicts a missile impacting a building and generating a dark plume of smoke.
The Associated Press successfully geolocated the video, confirming it was filmed from a site next to the school while smoke emanated from the vicinity. Satellite imagery of the compound aligns with visual markers in the video, including a flat-roofed structure, power lines, and vehicles.
Trevor Ball, a researcher at Bellingcat, identified the munition as a Tomahawk cruise missile, a weapon exclusively possessed by the United States in this conflict. US Central Command has acknowledged deploying Tomahawk missiles and even released a photograph of the USS Spruance, part of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group within range of the school, firing such a missile on February 28.
Bellingcat noted that the footage 'appears to contradict' Trump's assertion that Iran was accountable for the deadly school explosion. Neither US Central Command nor the Israeli military provided immediate comments to AP requests on Monday.
Factors Indicating Potential US Involvement
Experts highlight several factors suggesting a possible US strike. Firstly, the US military has initiated an assessment of the incident, which, according to Pentagon protocols for mitigating civilian harm, typically occurs after investigators preliminarily determine potential US culpability.
Secondly, the school's proximity to a Revolutionary Guard base and naval unit barracks is significant, as the US military has concentrated on naval targets and admitted to strikes in the province, including near the school. In contrast, Israel, which has denied conducting the strike, has focused on regions closer to its territory and reported no strikes south of Isfahan, approximately 800 kilometres away.
Legal and Humanitarian Implications
Janina Dill, an international law expert at Oxford University, commented on X that even if the strike resulted from misidentification, with the attacker believing the school was part of the adjacent IRGC base, it would still constitute 'a very serious violation of international law.' She elaborated: 'Attackers are under an obligation to do everything feasible to verify the status of targeted object.'
Satellite images reveal the damaged Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' school and other structures, while post-attack photographs show numerous graves prepared for the victims. Among the deceased were children aged seven to twelve and staff members.
Eyewitness Accounts and Media Reports
A teacher at the school recounted to the London-based Middle East Eye that she witnessed bodies on classroom benches after hearing the blast. She described the scene: 'I felt like I had gone mute. I couldn't speak. You could hear the sound of children crying and screaming.' At the time of the attack, 170 girls were present, as Saturday marks the first day of the working week in Iran.
This new evidence surfaces alongside reports from Reuters and The Wall Street Journal on Friday, indicating the US was 'likely responsible' for the strike. US officials informed the WSJ: 'US military investigators think American forces likely were responsible for a strike that killed dozens of children at a girls' elementary school in Iran.' Similarly, two other US officials conveyed the same to Reuters, though specifics regarding evidence, munition type, responsibility, or motives remain unclear.
Fox News reporter Laura Ingraham also criticised the US for its alleged involvement, posting on X: 'If true, this is horrific news -- and the U.S. military will have to address this publicly. Proximity of military compound obviously a factor, but our weapons also have pinpoint accuracy.'
