An elementary school in Minab, Iran, was hit amid US and Israel’s actions against Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime. The strike on February 28 at Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school left dozens dead, including children, and became the deadliest known instance of civilian casualties since the conflict involving the nations began. However, no side has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Two separate analyses from The New York Times and CBC News have given more insight into who might have bombed the girls’ school.
As per NYT, the building was damaged by a precision strike which was carried out at the same time as attacks on an adjacent naval base which is operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The publication added that official statements that the US forces were attacking naval targets near the Strait of Hormuz, where the IRGC base was located, suggested that they were the most likely to have carried out the strike on the school.
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Iranian State TV said that the strike had killed at least 165, mostly children. CBC News also concluded that the hit was due to a precision airstrike on a military complex adjacent to the building.
The facility was functioning as a school, but CBC News confirmed reports of it being a part of a IRGC base. CBC News also found out that the facility was hit more than one time. A military researcher told the publication “It was precise targeting of a military facility for the IRGC. According to satellite images, the impacts shows a pattern of precision guided munitions … there shouldn’t be any mistakes.” As per the researcher, the school being hit was ‘either the fault of a weapons system or a huge mistake CENTCOM made with intelligence gathering.’
US, Israel statements on the attack on the Iran school
When the Donald Trump administration was asked about the strike on the Iranian school, press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stepped in and said “Not that we know of”. She added that the Department of War was investigating the matter.
Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, told reporters ‘as of now’ he was not aware of any Israeli military operation ‘in the area’ at that time.
There were some claims that an Iranian missile itself had hit the school, but these were debunked.
As per International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the strikes normally have US focusing on the south and Israel on the north. Minab is located in the south close to the Strait of Hormuz, which would place it within the US military’s primary range of operations, as per CBC News.