US responsible for strike on school in Iran - Investigation details emerge
Photo: 175 people were killed in the US strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Iran (Getty Images)
The US is responsible for the strike on a school in Iran that killed at least 175 people, mostly children, according to an internal Pentagon investigation, according to The New York Times.
The outlet says that American officials familiar with the investigation reached this conclusion.
The US hit a school
On February 28, a Tomahawk missile hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in the city of Minab. The strike was carried out by the US Central Command as part of attacks on a nearby IRGC naval base.
The school is located in the same block as the base. The building was once part of the military facility but was separated and converted into a school between 2013 and 2016.
Why did the mistake happen?
The US Department of War's intelligence office had flagged the building as a military target based on outdated data. Central Command officers did not verify the information before the strike.
Satellite images obtained by The Times confirmed that the watchtowers had been removed, there are three public entrances, and playgrounds with brightly colored walls.
Investigators are still trying to determine:
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Why was the outdated data not checked
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Whether the intelligence agency had more current information
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Who is specifically responsible for the failure
Photo: The aftermath of the attack on the school on February 28, 2026 (Getty Images)
Trump blamed Iran
Despite the investigation’s findings, US President Donald Trump publicly shifted blame several times. "In my opinion, based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran … they’re very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever," he told reporters.
Later, Trump admitted he didn’t know enough about it and promised to accept the official investigation results.
According to The New York Times, Trump’s main mistake during the Middle East operation was underestimating Iran’s response. In reality, Washington remains uncertain about the next steps, even while claiming the war is going according to plan.
However, he has not ruled out a possible ground invasion of Iran. Democrats say such a move is becoming increasingly likely.
