Investigation further suggests it was the US that struck an Iranian school, killing 165

An investigation by the group Bellingcat indicates that new video evidence challenges U.S. President Donald Trump's assertion that Iran was behind an explosion at an Iranian school, which resulted in over 165 deaths at the beginning of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This development arises as more evidence suggests that the U.S. may be responsible for the strike on February 28, which hit a school next to a Revolutionary Guard base in Minab, located in Iran's southern Hormozgan Province. Experts consulted by The Associated Press, using satellite images, believe the school was likely hit during a series of bombings on the area. The video released by Bellingcat is a brief three-second clip taken on the day of the attack and shared on Sunday by Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency. It depicts a bomb falling on a building, creating a dark cloud that mixes with smoke from earlier explosions in the area. Trevor Ball, a researcher from Bellingcat, pinpointed the video's location near the school, a task also accomplished by the AP. He identified the weapon as a Tomahawk cruise missile, which is exclusively owned by the U.S. in this conflict. This marks the first piece of evidence regarding the type of weapon used in the attack. However, assessing the situation is complicated by the absence of images showing bomb fragments from the explosion, as no independent groups have been able to reach the site to investigate during the war. When asked by a reporter on Saturday if the U.S. was to blame for the explosion that primarily affected children, Trump replied without any supporting evidence, “No, in my opinion, based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran.” He added that Iran's munitions are “very inaccurate.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly stated that the U.S. was looking into the matter. Several elements suggest a U.S. strike. One is that the U.S. military has begun assessing the incident. According to Pentagon guidelines on preventing civilian casualties, an assessment kicks off when investigators initially determine that the U.S. military could be at fault. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue, informed the AP that the strike was probably conducted by the U.S. Another factor is the school’s location, which is adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base and near barracks for a naval unit. The U.S. military has targeted naval assets and has admitted to carrying out strikes in the province, including one near the school.