Investigation points to US military's role in Iran school massacre
What's the story
An investigation by The New York Times and Reuters has found that the deadly airstrike on an Iranian girls' school on February 28 could have been carried out by the US military. The strike, which took place in Minab, killed at least 175 people, mostly children. The New York Times's investigation revealed that Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school was hit by a precision airstrike. The strike coincided with attacks on an adjacent naval base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Strike details
Strike coincided with attacks on adjacent IRGC naval base
Satellite imagery from Planet Labs showed extensive damage to at least six Revolutionary Guard buildings, with four structures completely destroyed and two others showing impact points consistent with precision-guided munitions. According to the New York Times, Wes J Bryant, a national security analyst who served in the US Air Force, reviewed the new satellite images and concluded that all of the buildings, including the school, were hit with "picture perfect" target strikes.
Strike
Saturday is the start of the Iranian workweek
Because Saturday is the start of the Iranian workweek, children and teachers were in class when the strike began, according to health officials and Iranian state media. A little after 11:30am local time, the strikes were first reported on social media. These posts, along with photos and videos taken by bystanders within an hour of the attacks, help prove that the school and the military base were both hit at the same time.
Investigation status
School was once part of Revolutionary Guards' naval base
The school was once part of the Revolutionary Guards' naval base, according to satellite pictures from 2013, which The New York Times reviewed. There were roads that led from other parts of the base to the school building. But satellite images from September 2016 show the same facility had been partitioned and was no longer connected to the base. Publicly available satellite imagery shows the school has what most other schools have, like a sports field and other recreational areas.
Official response
US defense secretary confirms probe into incident
When asked if the US military had conducted the airstrike, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded, "Not that we know of," adding that "the Department of War is investigating this matter." US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday acknowledged that the military is probing the incident. He said, "We, of course, never target civilian targets. But we're taking a look and investigating that."
Legal implications
Attack could amount to war crime under international law
If confirmed, the attack on the school would be one of the worst civilian casualties in US conflicts in the Middle East. Deliberately targeting a school or hospital is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law. Images of funerals for the victims were broadcast on Iranian state television, showing small coffins being carried through crowds of mourners.