Evidence suggests that US forces may have bombed a girls’ primary school in Minab, killing at least 168 children and staff.
At least 168 children and teachers and staff were killed by U.S. forces when they bombed an elementary school in the southern Iranian town of Minab, an analysis published Thursday by The New York Times concluded.
The February 28 strike on the Shajara Tayyebeh girls’ school occurred on the first day of an unprovoked US-Israeli attack on Iran that resulted in the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian commanders, as well as hundreds of civilians. The attacks continue to this day.
In its analysis based on newly released satellite imagery, verified social media posts and geolocated videos, the NYT concluded that the school was hit by precision strikes during multiple attacks by US forces on an adjacent naval base belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Historical imagery The school building was detached from the military compound in 2016 and has clear features of a civilian educational facility, including a sports field and children’s murals.
NYT: Evidence suggests the February 28 strike that destroyed an elementary school in Minab, Iran, killing at least 175 people (many children), may have occurred during a US attack on a nearby Iranian Revolutionary Guards naval base. pic.twitter.com/AmyZOK67aq
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Wes J. Bryant, a former US Air Force target specialist, told the NYT that strikes “Picture Perfect” Target hits, indicating school a “Target Misidentification” Or struck based on old wisdom.
The BBC published a similar analysis on Thursday, saying satellite images indicated the school had been hit multiple times by burn marks around the building and the close proximity of the impact sites between the IRGC base and the school. “It was intentional to hit the area.”
The White House and Pentagon press secretary Carolyn Leavitt gave evasive comments, telling reporters on Wednesday. “The War Department is investigating the matter.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth urged US troops “Never aim at civilian targets.”
On Tuesday, thousands of people gathered in Minab for a mass funeral. Pictures showed rows of small, shallow graves and coffins draped in Iranian flags passed through the crowd of mourners. A father who was present accused “Criminal America” and Israel “Child killers.”
The UN human rights office called for an investigation, calling the attack an example “The senselessness and cruelty of this conflict.” UNESCO said “Murder of Students” forms a “serious breach” International Humanitarian Law.
Several countries also strongly condemned the attack, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova describing the Minab incident. “Sacrifice to evil spirits.”
The Minab incident was not the first American atrocity against Iran. In 1988, during the Iran-Iraq War, the US Navy cruiser USS Vincennes shot down the civilian airliner Iran Air Flight 655, killing all 290 people on board. Washington later expressed “deep regret” and paid compensation but did not formally apologize for the incident.
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