U.S. investigators are examining whether American forces were responsible for a deadly strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran as officials insist civilians are never deliberately targeted.
U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that American forces were responsible for an apparent strike on a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, that reportedly killed scores of students, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The officials said the investigation is ongoing and no final conclusion has been reached.
Reuters reported that the school was hit on Saturday during the first day of joint U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said the strike killed 150 students, though Reuters could not independently verify the casualty figures.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the military is reviewing the incident, stating, “We’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets.” The United Nations human rights office has also called for an investigation, warning that deliberately attacking civilian structures such as schools could constitute a war crime under international humanitarian law.