2 hours ago
Last Updated:March 06, 2026, 08:53 IST
US military investigators believe it is likely that American forces were responsible for a strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran, though the probe is still ongoing.
Aftermath of a strike on a girls' elementary school in Minab, Iran (Photo: AP)
The United States military is investigating whether its forces were responsible for a strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran that reportedly killed scores of children, two US officials told Reuters.
According to the officials, investigators believe US forces carried out the strike, but emphasised that no conclusion has yet been reached and that the inquiry remains ongoing.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters, the report mentioned.
They also cautioned that new evidence could emerge that absolves the United States of responsibility and instead points to another party behind the attack.
Reuters said it could not determine further details about the investigation, including what evidence led investigators to the preliminary assessment, what type of munition may have been used, who authorised the strike, or why the school may have been targeted.
It is also unclear how long the investigation may take or what evidence investigators are seeking before concluding, according to the report.
STRIKE REPORTEDLY KILLED SCORES OF STUDENTS
The incident occurred on Saturday in Minab, in southern Iran, during the first day of US and Israeli attacks on the country.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said the strike killed 150 students at the girls’ school. However, the death toll could not be independently verified.
Images aired on Iranian state television showed funerals held for the victims on Tuesday. Some footage also showed small coffins draped in Iranian flags being passed through large crowds before burial.
US OFFICIALS SAY CIVILIANS NOT DELIBERATELY STRUCK
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged on Wednesday that the military was examining the incident.
“We’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets. But we’re taking a look and investigating that," Hegseth said during a news briefing.
The White House did not directly address the allegation but reiterated that the United States does not intentionally target civilians.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, as quoted by Reuters, “While the Department of War is currently investigating this matter, the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said Washington would not deliberately strike a school.
“The Department of War would be investigating that if that was our strike, and I would refer your question to them," Rubio told reporters on Monday.
US AND ISRAEL SAID TO HAVE DIVIDED TARGETS IN IRAN
According to a senior Israeli official and a source with direct knowledge of joint planning, US and Israeli forces have divided their strikes in Iran both geographically and by target type, the report claimed.
While Israel has focused largely on missile launch sites in western Iran, the United States has been targeting missile infrastructure and naval assets in southern Iran.
The school that was struck is located in southern Iran, the area where US forces have reportedly been conducting strikes.
UN CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT
The United Nations human rights office has called for an investigation into the strike.
UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said during a press briefing in Geneva that responsibility lies with those who carried out the attack.
“The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it," Shamdasani said.
Under international humanitarian law, deliberately targeting a school, hospital, or other civilian infrastructure could amount to a war crime.
GULF ALLIES EXPRESS FRUSTRATION OVER US HANDLING OF WAR
Separately, the Associated Press reported that the Trump administration is facing growing frustration from allies in the Persian Gulf who say they were not adequately warned about the US-Israel strikes on Iran and were left exposed to retaliatory attacks.
Officials from two Gulf countries told AP their governments were disappointed with the way the United States handled the war, particularly the initial attacks launched last Saturday.
They said Gulf states were not given advance notice of the US-Israeli strikes and had warned Washington that such an operation could have devastating consequences for the region.
One official told AP there is widespread frustration that the US military has not done enough to defend Gulf allies from Iranian retaliation.
“There is a belief in the region that the operation has focused on defending Israel and American troops, while leaving Gulf countries to protect themselves," the official was quoted as saying, adding that his country’s stock of interceptor missiles was “rapidly depleting."
Public criticism has also surfaced from influential figures in the region.
“This is Netanyahu’s war," Prince Turki al-Faisal, the former Saudi intelligence chief, told CNN on Wednesday.
IRANIAN RETALIATION HITS GULF REGION
According to an Associated Press tally based on official statements, Iran has fired at least 380 missiles and more than 1,480 drones targeting five Gulf Arab countries since the conflict began.
At least 13 people have been killed in those countries, according to local officials cited by the report.
The news agency also reported that six US soldiers were killed in Kuwait on Sunday after an Iranian drone strike hit an operations centre in a civilian port located more than 10 miles from the main US Army base.
Pentagon officials acknowledged in closed-door briefings with lawmakers that the US military is struggling to intercept waves of Iranian drones, particularly the Shahed models, according to three people familiar with the briefings.
US SEEKS HELP COUNTERING IRANIAN DRONES
As the attacks continue, the United States and its allies in West Asia have sought assistance from Ukraine, which has extensive experience countering Iranian-made Shahed drones, AP reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv had been approached for help.
Asked about Zelenskyy’s comments, US President Donald Trump told Reuters,
“Certainly, I’ll take, you know, any assistance from any country."
First Published:
March 06, 2026, 08:53 IST
News world US Probe In Iran School Attack Amid War Points To Likely American Strike: Report
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