Preliminary Inquiry Points to US Responsibility
A preliminary investigation by the United States military has reportedly concluded that an American missile strike was responsible for the deadly bombing of an elementary school in Iran earlier this year.
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According to reporting by The New York Times, citing US officials familiar with the inquiry, the strike on 28 February that destroyed Shajarah Tayyebeh Elementary School was the result of a targeting error by US military planners.
Iranian authorities say at least 175 people were killed in the attack, most of them children, making it one of the deadliest incidents involving civilian casualties during the current conflict.
Missile Strike Linked to Targeting Error
The preliminary findings indicate that the strike involved a Tomahawk cruise missile launched during US operations in the region.
Investigators reportedly believe officers at United States Central Command created the coordinates for the strike using outdated intelligence data supplied by the Defense Intelligence Agency.
The mistake appears to have caused the missile to hit the school building rather than its intended target.
The school is located in the town of Minab near facilities used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval forces.
Although the school building had once been part of the wider military complex, satellite imagery shows it had been separated from the base by walls for nearly a decade and displayed clear signs of being an educational facility.
Tehran’s Claims Gain Support
The preliminary findings appear to support claims made by Iranian officials that the United States carried out the strike.
Tehran previously released video footage of a missile hitting the area as well as images of debris said to include fragments of US-made weapon components.
Independent analysts had already suggested the evidence strongly pointed to American involvement.
Trump Blamed Iran
Despite the growing evidence, US President Donald Trump publicly blamed Iran for the bombing.
“In my opinion, based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran,” Trump said last week, arguing that Iranian weapons were inaccurate.
He did not present any evidence to support the claim.
US military spokespeople have not repeated the president’s accusation and have instead said the incident remains under investigation.
Pentagon Maintains Silence
Officials have declined to comment in detail while the inquiry continues.
In a brief statement, the Pentagon said: “The incident is under investigation.”
A spokesperson for US Central Command also said it would be inappropriate to discuss the findings until the investigation is complete.
The inquiry has not yet been finalised, and officials say further details may emerge as the investigation continues.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 11.03 2026