Washington, 6 March: United States military investigators believe it is likely that US forces were responsible for a strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran that reportedly killed a large number of children, though officials say the probe is still ongoing and no final conclusion has been reached.
The incident occurred in Minab in Iran’s Hormozgan province during the opening phase of US and Israeli military operations against Iran. Two US officials familiar with the matter told Reuters that the current assessment suggests a possible US role, but stressed that the investigation is not complete and could still point to another responsible party.
According to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, the strike killed around 150 schoolgirls, although independent confirmation of the death toll has not been possible.
The Pentagon and US Central Command declined to provide detailed comments while the investigation is underway.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the military is examining the incident.
“We’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets. But we’re taking a look and investigating that,” he said during a briefing.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also indicated that the matter would be handled through a formal military inquiry.
“The Department of War would be investigating that if that was our strike,” Rubio told reporters.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was awaiting the outcome of the probe.
“While the Department of War is currently investigating this matter, the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America,” she said.
US officials said investigators are reviewing available evidence to determine the type of munition used, the origin of the strike and the circumstances that led to the school being hit. They added that new findings could potentially clear US forces and identify another actor.
The United Nations human rights office has also called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it,” UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in Geneva.
Footage broadcast on Iranian state television showed funeral processions for the victims, with coffins draped in Iranian flags and mourners gathering in large numbers.
Under international humanitarian law, deliberately attacking civilian structures such as schools or hospitals could constitute a war crime, making the findings of the investigation particularly significant.
