Four months after a US Tomahawk cruise missile struck a girls' elementary school in Minab, Iran, killing at least 175 people—mostly children—fears are growing that the Pentagon will bury the findings of its investigation. The attack, one of the deadliest US bombings of civilians in decades, occurred on the first day of the war and has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups.
President Donald Trump initially suggested Iran was responsible for the strike, even after evidence confirmed the use of a US-made missile. He later dismissed the incident as a mistake, saying, 'Nobody did that on purpose.' The Pentagon has provided no official explanation, and critics doubt Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will release a full report, given his 'anti-woke' stance that reduces oversight of civilian casualties.
Mohammadreza Ahmadi Tifakani lost two children in the bombing: his seven-year-old daughter Hanieh and her 10-year-old brother Sobhan, who ran back to find his sister after the first blast. 'I personally went to the morgue and identified both of them,' Tifakani said. 'Sobhan was missing an eye, and half of his face was gone.'
Former Pentagon officials expressed doubt that the US would take responsibility, noting that Hegseth's dismantling of civilian harm mitigation units makes it easier to avoid accountability. The incident echoes past mass-casualty events like the 2017 Mosul airstrike and the 1991 Amiriyah shelter bombing.
Trump, celebrating a ceasefire deal last week, called the attack 'a long time ago' and said the investigation continues. US Central Command declined to provide updates.
