Evidence Suggests U.S. Airstrike Killed Scores of Iranian Students at School

On Feb. 28 a massive explosion destroyed Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab and reduced most of the school to rubble.

“Evidence suggests the deadly blast at an Iranian school was likely a US airstrike JERUSALEM (AP) — Satellite images, expert analysis, a U”

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The blast killed well over 160 people, mostly children, and has been reported as the deadliest civilian toll since the war began.

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The incident prompted condemnation from the U.N. and human rights groups.

AP reviewed satellite imagery and said the strike "destroyed Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab and killed more than 165 people—mostly children," and that the images "show most of the school reduced to rubble."

Fine Day Radio reported Iranian state television released footage claiming an American cruise missile struck the school compound and saying it killed 175 people.

AP's account and Iranian state television's claim differ on both the responsible weapon and the casualty count.

AP cited multiple lines of technical evidence, including satellite imagery, expert analysis and the shape of the damage, that led analysts to conclude the pattern is consistent with a targeted airstrike on or near the school.

The explosion also struck an adjacent compound linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

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AP summarized that experts saw a "crescent-shaped hole in the roof" and a "tight damage pattern" consistent with a targeted airstrike.

The article also noted that public information from U.S. and Israeli militaries and a U.S. official informed the assessment.

Responsibility for the strike remains contested: Iran blamed the U.S. and Israel, while neither country has accepted responsibility.

“Evidence suggests the deadly blast at an Iranian school was likely a US airstrike JERUSALEM (AP) — Satellite images, expert analysis, a U”

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The U.S. has opened a procedural assessment into the strike after initial indications that U.S. forces may be culpable.

AP reported that Iran blamed the U.S. and Israel but neither country has accepted responsibility, and that the U.S. military has opened an assessment into the strike—a procedural step that, under Pentagon rules, is launched when investigators preliminarily judge U.S. forces may be culpable—while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. is investigating.

Iranian footage circulated on state television directly challenges U.S. government denials and earlier statements that attributed blame to Iran.

The available reporting highlights discrepancies in casualty figures and narratives.

AP described the toll as more than 165 people—mostly children, while an Iranian state TV clip circulated on Fine Day Radio claimed 175 killed.

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The two accounts also differ over attribution: AP's synthesis of imagery and expert analysis suggests a likely airstrike linked to a nearby IRG compound, while Iranian state media explicitly blamed an American missile.

These contradictions mean the provenance and full chain of events remain disputed in the public record.

International and human-rights reactions were swift, with condemnation reported by AP.

“Evidence suggests the deadly blast at an Iranian school was likely a US airstrike JERUSALEM (AP) — Satellite images, expert analysis, a U”

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The U.S. procedural assessment and public scrutiny of the imagery and the Iranian footage underscore the potential for further political fallout.

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AP noted the incident "has drawn condemnation from the U.N. and human rights groups," and that U.S. officials say they are investigating.

Iranian state television’s release of footage has intensified domestic and international calls for accountability and clarification.