US to Blame for Strike on Iran Girls’ School that Killed 175, Pentagon Report Reveals after Trump Blamed Tehran for Deadly Attack

A preliminary U.S. military investigation has concluded that American forces were responsible for the missile strike on an elementary school in Iran, killing around 175 people — majority of them children.

Trump had earlier accused Iran of bombing a school filled with young girls using an American Tomahawk missile on February 28, the first day of the military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury. However, the ongoing investigation has since found that the strike was actually the result of an error by U.S. forces while targeting a nearby Iranian military base. Investigators said the school building had once been part of that military facility, which likely led to the misidentification.

US Has to Take the Blame

Officials at US Central Command reportedly approved the strike based on outdated intelligence supplied by the Defense Intelligence Agency, one of the United States’ primary intelligence bodies.

The strike on Shajarah Tayyebeh Elementary School, which was filled with children at the time, is now being described as one of the most devastating military mistakes made by the U.S. in decades.

U.S. officials familiar with the investigation told The New York Times that investigators are still trying to determine why the old intelligence data was not rechecked before the attack was carried out.

As recently as Monday, Trump had blamed the Iranian government for bombing its own school, saying “they’re very inaccurate with their munitions, they have no accuracy whatsoever.” When reporters asked him about the investigation’s findings on Wednesday, he responded, “I don’t know about it.”

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, did not offer condolences after the military findings revealed that U.S. forces had killed schoolchildren. Instead, she said, “As The New York Times acknowledges in its own reporting, the investigation is still ongoing.”

The school in Iran sits on the same block as a facility used by the regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the town of Minab.

The school building was once linked to the military base, but at some point, it was separated and turned into a school for young children.

Earlier satellite images showed that a fence had been built between the school and the military compound sometime between 2013 and 2016. The photos also suggested that the site had clearly been converted into a children’s school, with play areas added, including a sports field, and walls painted in bright blue and pink.

DIA’s Mistake

Despite those signs, the DIA identified the building as a military target when it passed intelligence to US Central Command. Military watchtowers that once stood near the school had also been removed at some point, though it’s unclear exactly when that happened.

The findings are emerging as growing numbers of Americans—including some Trump supporters —appear to be turning against his war with Iran.

Seven U.S. service members have been killed since Trump ordered military strikes against Iran on February 28. The casualties come as concerns grow over the rising financial cost of the conflict.

The Pentagon is reported to have used roughly $5.6 billion worth of munitions within just the first two days of fighting.

The war is also having an impact on everyday costs. Gas prices have surged to an average of $3.60 per gallon compared with about $2.90 before the conflict began. Oil prices have climbed to levels not seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Earlier this week, Trump said the war would end soon after a phone call with Vladimir Putin. He also told reporters that U.S. forces are “very far ahead of schedule,” claiming that Iran’s military capabilities have largely been wiped out.