Iranian school strike leaves 175 dead. Questions remain
Investigators are examining whether the building’s proximity to other nearby facilities may have played a role in the deadly blast.
Although a U.S. investigation is underway, President Donald Trump is blaming Iran for the Feb. 28 bombing that Iranian officials say killed 175 people and decimated Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary, a girls’ school in Minab.
Trump made the accusations while aboard Air Force One on March 7, soon after he attended the dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base for six U.S. servicemembers who were killed in an Iranian drone attack during the first weekend of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“In my opinion, based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran,” Trump said, adding that Iran was “very inaccurate” with their munitions targeting.
“They have no accuracy whatsoever,” he said. “It was done by Iran.”
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth added that “The only side that targets civilians is Iran.” He said that an investigation into the bombing is ongoing.
Iranian officials have blamed both the United States and Israel for the deadly strike.
Here’s what else Trump’s administration has said about the bombing.
‘The United States does not target civilians,’ White House says
Despite Trump’s assertions, questions remain regarding who is responsible for the strike at the Iranian girls’ school that killed 175 people, with the majority of victims being children, including dozens of girls ages 7 to 12, according to the Iranian news agency IRNA and Iranian officials.
Reuters and The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed U.S. sources, reported that U.S. military investigators believe it is “likely” that U.S. forces hit the girls’ school.
Watch Trump place blame for bombed girls’ school on Iran
Although a U.S. investigation is underway, President Trump is blaming Iran for the Feb. 28 bombing of an Iranian school that killed 175 people.
In response to Reuters’ reporting, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said, “This investigation is ongoing. There are no conclusions at this time, and it is both irresponsible and false for Reuters to claim otherwise.”
“As we have said, unlike the terrorist Iranian regime, the United States does not target civilians,” Kelly added.
The Pentagon has remained quiet about the bombing, except to say it is investigating reports of civilian casualties.
Did the US shoot missiles in the area of the girls’ school?
During a March 4 news briefing, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that the United States carried out strikes in the vicinity of the girl’s school. Caine, shining a laser pointer on a map that showed impacts in the region, described U.S. forces focused on southern Iran, while Israel concentrated on the northern part of the country.
“Along the southern axis, the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln strike group has continued to provide pressure from the sea along the southeastern side of the coast and has been attriting naval capability all along the strait and up into the Arabian Gulf,” Caine said.
An analysis from the International Institute for Strategic Studies also described U.S. efforts as focused on south and central Iran and Israel’s on the country’s northern region.
“We are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations. We take these reports seriously and are looking into them,” Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for the U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the region, has said.
Contributing: Josh Meyer, Ramon Padilla & Kim Hjelmgaard/ USA TODAY