Trump Claims Iran Responsible for Deadly Minab School Strike

Mar 8, 2026 at 07:58 AM

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Lanka Leader

U.S. President Donald Trump has denied that American forces were responsible for a strike on a school in the southern Iranian city of Minab that killed 175 people, most of them children, suggesting instead that the explosion was caused by an errant Iranian missile.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Trump said the attack was likely carried out by Iran itself. “In my opinion, based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran,” he said.

His comments contradict findings from investigations by several major news organizations — including Associated Press, CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post — which reported that satellite imagery and other visual evidence suggested the United States likely destroyed a girls’ elementary school during a February 28 bombardment targeting nearby bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

When asked whether the United States was responsible for the strike, Trump reiterated his claim that Iranian forces were to blame, arguing that Iranian munitions are often inaccurate.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said an investigation was ongoing. Asked directly if Iran carried out the strike, Hegseth responded, “We’re investigating it,” adding that “the only side that targets civilians is Iran.”

Trump interrupted to repeat that the strike was likely caused by Iran. “We think it was done by Iran, because they’re very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions,” he said.

However, Reuters reported on Thursday that two U.S. officials familiar with the investigation said American military analysts believe U.S. forces were likely responsible for the strike. The officials cautioned that the inquiry has not reached a final conclusion.

The destruction of the school remains the deadliest single incident in the ongoing US–Israeli war on Iran (2026), which began with coordinated attacks on Iranian targets on February 28.

The United Nations condemned the strike, describing it as “a grave assault on children, on education, and on the future of an entire community,” and stressed that civilians must never be treated as collateral damage.