Recent investigations by the Netherlands-based outlet Bellingcat have brought forward compelling evidence linking a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile to a catastrophic strike on girls' school in southern Iran.
The incident, which occurred on February 28, 2026, reportedly claimed the lives of 165 schoolgirls and staff, sparking international outrage and calls for a war crimes investigation.
The investigation: Visual and forensic evidence
The report, released on March 8, 2026, centers on geolocated video footage and satellite imagery analysis that contradicts initial denials by U.S. officials.
- Weapon Identification: Munitions experts identified the projectile in the footage as a Tomahawk cruise missile. Critically, the United States is the primary party in the current conflict known to possess and deploy this specific long-range weapon.
- The Strike Sequence: Analysis shows the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab was hit during a rapid succession of precision strikes. While the U.S. targeted an adjacent naval base operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), video evidence suggests the school was struck either simultaneously or moments before the base.
- Target Misidentification: Satellite history reveals the school and the base were once part of the same compound. However, investigators noted that a physical fence and separate entrance had been established over ten years ago, suggesting that “outdated intelligence” may have led U.S. forces to treat the school as a military barracks.
International response and casualties
The strike remains the deadliest single incident of civilian casualties since the outbreak of hostilities.
The school was located at Minab, Hormozgan Province, lost 165 schoolgirls aged between 7-12 and 95+ injuries reported because of U.S. cruise missile strike on the defenceless children.
The United Nations experts described U.S. actions as a “flagrant example” of conflict stealing children's futures.
Official positions
- The United States: After initial denials blaming Iranian munitions, the Pentagon confirmed an ongoing investigation following the Bellingcat report. Some U.S. officials have privately admitted that American forces were “likely” responsible for the massacre.
- Iran: Iranian state media and the Mehr News Agency have used the footage to call for international sanctions, accusing the U.S. of a “deliberate assault on education.”
- Human Rights Groups: Organisations like UNESCO and OHCHR have called for an independent tribunal, emphasising that “civilians must never be treated as collateral.”
The mounting evidence has placed significant pressure on the U.S. administration to provide a transparent account of the intelligence failures that led to the tragedy.