WASHINGTON: The United States military is “likely” responsible for the February 28 bombing of a girls’ school in Iran that killed around 168 people, most of them children, according to reports by US media on Monday citing sources briefed on a preliminary intelligence assessment.
The early assessment suggests that the school was not intentionally targeted and may have been struck accidentally, possibly because outdated intelligence still identified the area as part of a military base, a source told CBS News.
Two sources told the broadcaster that Israel’s military was not operating in the area at the time, a finding that was also confirmed by an Israeli government source who told CBS that Israel had no involvement in the strike.
The White House said the “investigation is ongoing” and warned that it was “irresponsible and false” to conclude at this stage.
But Critics have questioned the explanation that the strike may have been accidental.
They argue that it is difficult to believe a military capable of carrying out a highly precise operation that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with senior commanders and members of his family, in a coordinated strike on the same day could mistakenly fire on a school filled with hundreds of children.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he believed the strike “was done by Iran,” although he did not provide evidence to support the claim. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also said an investigation into the incident was continuing.
The CBS report echoed earlier findings by investigative outlet Bellingcat and The New York Times, both of which reported evidence suggesting that a Tomahawk missile struck a compound belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) located near the school.
The Tomahawk missile is a weapon that only the United States is known to possess among the parties involved in the conflict, according to the reports.
Several other media organisations have also suggested potential US responsibility based on satellite imagery, geolocated videos, and expert analysis of the strike site.
Multiple outlets reach similar conclusions
The Wall Street Journal, citing an American official, reported that US military investigators believe American forces were likely responsible, although the inquiry has not concluded.
Meanwhile, The New York Times, analysing satellite imagery and geolocated videos, reported that the school was struck at the same time as precision strikes on a nearby IRGC naval base.
A former US Air Force official told the newspaper that the most plausible explanation was “target misidentification.”
BBC Verify reported multiple impact sites and burn marks around both the school and nearby IRGC facilities. Analysts told the outlet that the pattern of destruction suggested the use of a penetrating munition.
Meanwhile, Middle East Eye, citing survivors and first responders, reported the possibility of a “double-tap” strike — meaning a second explosion occurred shortly after the first blast, hitting people who had taken shelter nearby.
Canada’s CBC News noted that the attack happened during the first wave of US-Israeli strikes across southern Iran.
UNESCO condemned the killing of students, describing it as a “grave violation” of protections for educational facilities under international humanitarian law, and called for a full investigation.
