At least 165 people, among them children, died when a missile struck an elementary school in Iran. The U.S. military is now indicating that the attack might have stemmed from a mistake in targeting. Early findings from the ongoing investigation indicate that the Tomahawk missile was not intended for the Iranian girls’ school but for a nearby Iranian military base.
Reports from US officials indicate that incorrect or outdated targeting information may have played a role in the strike. The attack occurred on February 28 in the southern Iranian city of Minab, where the school building was located close to facilities believed to be used by the naval arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Investigators believe the structure that now houses the school was once part of the same compound before it was separated from the base years ago.
According to US officials familiar with the probe, targeting coordinates for the strike were prepared using intelligence data that had not been updated. Authorities are now examining how the information made it through the planning process without being properly verified.
American news outlets, including The New York Times and CNN, reported that the missile strike may have accidentally hit the school while attempting to strike the adjacent military site. The investigation remains active as military officials continue to review the sequence of decisions that led to the launch.
Following the incident, US President Donald Trump initially raised the possibility that Iran might have been responsible for the explosion. However, Iran does not possess Tomahawk missiles. When asked about the emerging reports suggesting US involvement, Trump told reporters he had not reviewed the findings but said he would accept whatever the investigation ultimately determines.
Iranian state media reported that funerals were held for dozens of victims after the attack, claiming that many of those killed were students and staff members who were inside the building at the time. The casualty figures have not been independently verified by international media.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has blamed both the United States and Israel for the strike. Israeli officials have repeatedly denied any role in the incident. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that American forces do not deliberately target civilian sites such as schools.
