Satellite images and expert analysis suggest that an explosion that destroyed a girls’ school in Minab and killed more than 165 people was likely caused by a US airstrike, according to an Associated Press (AP) report.
The February 28 explosion hit Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School during school hours. Iranian state media said most of the dead were children.
However, US President Donald Trump said he believed the attack was carried out by Iran.
“No, in my opinion, from what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, according to the BBC.
What happened
Satellite images reviewed by the AP show the school building largely destroyed, with a crescent-shaped hole in the roof and surrounding damage. Experts said the pattern of destruction is consistent with a targeted airstrike.
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The school is located next to a compound linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has been the target of attacks during the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Satellite photographs show several buildings within the complex damaged by the explosions, with craters and debris throughout the area.
What the United States says
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the incident is under investigation.
“We are certainly investigating,” Hegseth said when asked about the attack, according to the AP. “But the only side that attacks civilians is Iran.”
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A U.S. official told the AP that the attack was likely carried out by U.S. forces, although the investigation is still ongoing.
What Trump said
Trump rejected reports suggesting U.S. involvement and reiterated that he believed Iran was responsible.
“We believe it was done by Iran because, as you know, they are very inaccurate with their munitions,” he said. “They have no precision whatsoever. It was made by Iran.”
His claim came after journalists cited evidence from satellite images and other reports suggesting the explosion occurred at the same time as airstrikes on the nearby military complex.
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Why location is important
The school is located near facilities linked to the Revolutionary Guard, including barracks used by naval units responsible for operations around the Strait of Hormuz.
Experts said the damage pattern suggests multiple precise attacks on buildings within the complex.
“All attacks are concentrated within the complex,” said researcher Corey Scher, who studies satellite images of conflict zones.
International reaction
The strike has drawn criticism from the United Nations and human rights groups, which say attacks on schools would violate international law.
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A spokesman for the U.N. human rights office said the results of the investigation should be made public.
“The families of the murdered girls have the right to know the truth about how it happened,” the spokesperson said.
