The American military is conducting an investigation after a strike on a girls’ school in the city of Minab in southern Iran. Preliminary investigation data suggest that the US armed forces might have been involved in the attack, but there are no final conclusions yet.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of the start of a joint military operation by the US and Israel against the infrastructure of the Iranian armed forces. Iranian authorities report a large number of casualties among schoolgirls, but these data have not yet been confirmed by independent sources.
What is known about the strike on the school in Minab
The attack occurred last Saturday in the city of Minab, a large settlement in southern Iran, located in the Hormozgan province.
According to Iran’s representative to the UN, Ali Bahreini, the strike hit a girls’ school. Tehran claims that about 150 students were killed, but international news agencies have not yet been able to confirm this figure.
Iranian state television on Tuesday showed footage of the funeral ceremony. The video shows thousands of people accompanying the mourning procession, and small coffins covered with national flags being transferred from trucks to the burial site.
Local authorities call the incident one of the most tragic attacks on civilian objects in recent times.
Preliminary version of the American investigation
According to sources from the agency Reuters on March 6, 2026, two American officials told journalists on condition of anonymity that the preliminary investigation suggests possible US involvement in the strike.
However, these conclusions are not yet considered final.
Investigators continue to study a number of key questions:
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what type of weaponry was used
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who directly carried out the strike
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whether the school was the actual target or if a mistake occurred
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what intelligence was used before the attack
Official sources emphasize that the investigation may also lead to the opposite conclusion — completely ruling out the involvement of American forces.
Reaction of Washington and the Pentagon’s position
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that the military department is studying the circumstances of the incident.
He emphasized that the American army does not intentionally strike civilian objects.
“We, of course, never attack civilian targets. But we are checking this information and conducting an investigation,” said the head of the Pentagon.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also noted that Washington would not deliberately attack an educational institution.
According to him, if it is established that the strike was indeed carried out by American forces, the investigation will be fully transferred to the Department of Defense.
The White House avoids direct accusations
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt confirmed the fact of the investigation but refused to comment on possible US responsibility.
At the same time, she emphasized that, in Washington’s opinion, it is the Iranian authorities who regularly put the civilian population at risk.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) also refused to provide detailed comments until the investigation is completed.
How targets were distributed in the US and Israel operation
According to sources familiar with the operation planning, the US and Israel pre-divided zones of responsibility during the military campaign against Iranian military objects.
According to this data:
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Israel focused on destroying missile launchers in western Iran
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The United States was responsible for operations in the southern part of the country
It is in this zone that the city of Minab is located, where the strike occurred.
American forces, according to sources, were supposed to attack:
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naval bases
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Iranian fleet infrastructure
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missile objects
Therefore, the appearance of a civilian object among the targets became one of the reasons for the start of the investigation.
Such episodes, where military operations intersect with civilian infrastructure, are becoming key topics in international security today. Analytical materials on such conflicts are regularly published by NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, tracking the development of events in the Middle East and the impact of military campaigns on regional stability.
Reaction of international organizations
UN structures have already reacted to the incident.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called for a thorough investigation and accountability for the strike.
The agency’s representative in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, emphasized that the party that carried out the strike is obliged to ensure a full and transparent investigation.
From the perspective of international humanitarian law, a deliberate attack on a school, hospital, or other civilian object can be considered a war crime.
If the investigation confirms US involvement in the strike in Minab, this incident could become one of the most high-profile cases of civilian casualties during military operations in the Middle East in recent decades.