Washington, United States – Web Desk: A preliminary investigation by the United States Department of Defense suggests that American forces may have been responsible for an apparent strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran, an incident that reportedly killed dozens of students, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the inquiry.
The officials told Reuters that military investigators believe it is “likely” that U.S. forces were involved in the strike. However, they emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and that no final conclusion has yet been reached.
Details about the evidence supporting the preliminary assessment remain unclear. Investigators have not disclosed the type of munition used, the operational circumstances surrounding the attack, or the precise reason the school may have been struck.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed earlier this week that the Pentagon is reviewing the incident. Speaking during a press briefing, he said the U.S. military does not intentionally target civilian infrastructure but acknowledged that the matter is under active investigation.
“We’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets,” Hegseth said.
The strike reportedly occurred in the city of Minab in southern Iran on Saturday, coinciding with the first day of coordinated military operations by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said the attack killed 150 students, though independent verification of the death toll has not been possible.
The United States Central Command declined to comment on the specifics of the case. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said it would be inappropriate to provide details while the investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, the White House said it could not comment directly on the inquiry. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the United States does not deliberately target civilians or children.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also told reporters that Washington would not intentionally strike a school and that any credible allegation would be thoroughly investigated.
According to officials familiar with operational planning, U.S. and Israeli forces had divided their military targets geographically. Israel reportedly focused on missile launch sites in western Iran, while U.S. forces targeted strategic and naval facilities in southern regions.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has called for an independent investigation into the incident. Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said responsibility lies with the forces involved in the attack to conduct a transparent inquiry.
Images broadcast by Iranian state television showed funeral ceremonies for the victims, with small coffins draped in Iranian flags carried through large crowds before burial.
Under International Humanitarian Law, deliberately targeting schools, hospitals, or other civilian structures could constitute a war crime.
If U.S. involvement is ultimately confirmed, the strike could represent one of the deadliest incidents involving civilian casualties in decades of American military operations in the Middle East.
