New Delhi: Amid rising scrutiny over the deaths of around 170 people, including over 100 students at a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, US President Donald Trump signaled he is prepared to “live with” whatever a Pentagon investigation concludes about the incident. The strike, which occurred on February 28 during early US-Israeli operations, has sparked international outrage and drawn attention to possible use of a US-made Tomahawk missile.
US probes, Trump’s controversial comments
Initially, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he did not “know enough” about the strike and suggested, controversially, that Iran itself might have carried out the attack using a Tomahawk missile a weapon it does not possess.
“Whatever the report shows, I’m willing to live with that report,” he added.
The US military’s Central Command released footage of Tomahawk launches on the same day, while senior officers confirmed early salvoes targeted multiple locations across southern Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed the United States does not intentionally target schools and reaffirmed the ongoing investigation.
Evidence points to a precision strike
Investigations by media outlets such as the New York Times and BBC, alongside satellite imagery and verified social media footage, suggest the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school was severely damaged in a precision strike.
Norway-based Hengaw, confirmed around 170 students were present during the morning session when the attack occurred. Images from Iranian state media show mourning crowds, coffins draped in flags, and mass graves being prepared for victims, highlighting the human toll. Iran’s officials have blamed US-Israeli strikes, with President Masoud Pezeshkian confirming over 170 deaths.
