Minab Bloodshed: US Probe Suggests Possible Role in Strike That Killed 160 Children

U.S. military investigators say it is “likely” that American forces were behind a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, that killed scores of children. The incident occurred on Saturday, the first day of joint U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Iranian officials claim 150 students died, though the number has not been independently verified.

Officials involved in the probe have stressed that the investigation is not yet complete. They have not disclosed what evidence led to the tentative assessment, what type of weapon was used, or why the school may have been struck. They also noted that new findings could emerge that shift responsibility away from the U.S.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the investigation, saying: “We’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed that the U.S. would not deliberately strike a school, pointing reporters to the Department of War for further details. The Pentagon has referred questions to U.S. Central Command, which declined to comment while the inquiry continues.

The White House also avoided a direct response, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that “the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America.”

Meanwhile, images broadcast on Iranian state television showed heartbreaking funeral scenes. Small coffins draped in Iranian flags were carried through crowds of mourners, underscoring the scale of the tragedy.

The United Nations human rights office has called for a full investigation, warning that deliberately attacking a school, hospital, or other civilian structure could amount to a war crime under international humanitarian law. “The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it,” said spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Reports suggest that U.S. and Israeli forces have divided their operations in Iran, with Israel striking missile launch sites in the west and the United States focusing on naval and southern targets. The strike on the Minab school, however, has raised urgent questions about civilian safety in this escalating conflict.

If U.S. involvement is confirmed, the attack would represent one of the deadliest incidents of civilian casualties in decades of American military operations in the Middle East. As the war intensifies, the Minab tragedy highlights the devastating human cost of military action and the vulnerability of civilians caught in the crossfire.

With Reuters inputs 

Read More: 160 Girl Students Killed As Massive Explosions Rock Iran School In Minab | Israel-Iran War