Minab School Attack: Will The US Be Forced To Answer?

Just hours after the assault on Iran began on February 28, a missile slammed into a girls’ school in the country’s south. The explosion killed more than 170 people, many of them students. The missile struck while students were in class, destroying the school building within moments. Parents who had sent their daughters for a normal day of lessons soon faced a devastating reality, as the classrooms became a scene of tragedy. Even as new details continue to emerge pointing to the United States’ role in the strike, Washington and Israel have both attempted to brush aside responsibility and distance themselves from the incident.

The girls’ school in Minab, a city close to a base used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was struck by a missile at around 10:45 local time in the morning. The impact brought down much of the two-storey structure, with the roof crashing onto the classrooms where students and teachers were present. Minab lies in Iran’s Hormozgan Province, a region of strategic importance that looks out over the Strait of Hormuz and is home to several naval facilities linked to the IRGC. Iran was quick to blame the attack on a US–Israel strike, but both countries came out denying any involvement.

Striking a school crowded with children has quickly become seen as one of the most tragic missteps in recent military history. While the missiles were thought to originate from the United States, the only side in the conflict known to deploy Tomahawks, the incident has already drawn widespread criticism and cast a long shadow over US operations in Iran.

Investigators are still piecing together what actually happened. Experts reportedly suggest the error could stem from old or inaccurate targeting data. The school sits right next to buildings used by the IRGC navy, and the land it occupies was once part of the military base. Despite being so close to the base, the school had long stood apart, with its own walls and separate entrances, clearly marked as a civilian space.

US President Donald Trump wasted no time blaming Iran for the strike, even though there was no evidence to support such a claim. Standing behind him, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth refused to back up the claim, instead pointing out that the Pentagon was still investigating. Trump also told the press that Iran “has some Tomahawks,” a claim that experts quickly dismissed.

The New York Times reports that an internal military review aligns with growing evidence pointing to US responsibility for the strike. Satellite images, verified videos, and social media posts show the school suffered a targeted hit around the same time the nearby naval base was attacked, which was struck again about two hours later.

Investigators looked into whether advanced intelligence tools contributed to the school being hit. While systems can analyse sites for military purposes, they don’t select targets. Officials say the strike was most likely the result of human error rather than any new technology. The school bombing serves as a stark reminder of how vulnerable global norms are when challenged by conflicts between major powers and violent attacks.