IBNS-CMEDIA: A US Tomahawk missile strike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, killed more than 175 people, mostly children, according to a report by the New York Times.
The ongoing military investigation found that the strike on Shajarah Tayyebeh Elementary School on February 28 was the result of a targeting mistake by the United States.
Officials said the coordinates used by the US Central Command were outdated, provided by the Defence Intelligence Agency, and were not properly double-checked before the strike.
The building, which originally belonged to a military base, had been converted into a school between 2013 and 2016 and sits adjacent to an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy compound, a top-tier military target.
US officials noted that the investigation is ongoing, including a review of satellite imagery and intelligence from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, but preliminary findings suggest the error was human rather than technological.
A video released by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency showed the missile hitting the school compound. Funeral scenes on March 3 revealed the grieving families of children killed, highlighting the tragedy’s magnitude.
The strike has been widely condemned internationally. Elise Baker, senior staff lawyer at the Atlantic Council, called targeting schools a clear violation of international law.
US President Donald Trump rejected responsibility, attributing the strike to Iran’s purportedly “inaccurate” munitions. However, analysts emphasize that only the US military uses Tomahawk missiles in the ongoing conflict.
This attack marks the highest civilian death toll in the war to date and has intensified criticism from the United Nations and human rights organizations.
