Politics Today – The United States said it is investigating an airstrike that killed 168 students at a girls’ primary school in southern Iran, while Israel denied any involvement in the attack.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that Washington had launched a probe into the incident, which targeted the Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls’ School in the city of Minab.
“All I can say is we’re investigating that,” Hegseth said when asked about the bombing. He added that the U.S. military “never targets civilian sites.”
Israeli officials also rejected suggestions that their forces were responsible. Military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani told the U.S. public broadcaster NPR that the Israeli army was not aware of any operation in the area.
“We are not aware at the moment of any IDF operation in that area,” Shoshani said. “I don’t know who’s responsible for the bombing.”
Iranian officials say the strike occurred on Saturday, the first day of joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. According to local authorities, the missile struck the school directly while classes were underway.
Mohammad Radmehr, governor of Minab, said the attack killed girls between the ages of seven and 12. The blast largely destroyed the building, with sections of the concrete roof collapsing onto classrooms.
Authorities in Iran reported that 168 people were killed and at least 95 others were injured.
Eyewitnesses report second strike
Witnesses and first responders told media outlets that the site may have been struck twice. After the initial explosion, teachers reportedly moved surviving students into a prayer hall for protection. A second strike then hit the area where the children had gathered.
Such attacks are often described as “double-tap” strikes, in which a second explosion occurs after rescuers or survivors gather at the scene.
Video footage circulating online shows extensive damage to the school building and large crowds gathering outside in the aftermath. Satellite imagery also indicates that several facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) located about 200 meters from the school were struck around the same time.
However, analysts and first responders said the damage pattern suggests the school itself was directly targeted rather than accidentally hit by nearby strikes.
Funerals and international reaction
Funerals for the victims were held in Minab earlier this week, with large crowds attending the burial of dozens of children. Iranian officials said the destruction was so severe that many of the victims remain unidentified and are undergoing DNA testing.
Iran has accused the United States and Israel of carrying out the attack, while both governments have said they are investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, a panel of experts from the United Nations described the strike as “deeply disturbing” and called for an independent investigation.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 1,097 civilians have been killed across Iran since the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign began. Iranian diplomats have urged the international community to examine the incident and hold those responsible accountable.