Leaked Investigation: US Strike Hits Wrong Target, Kills 168 Iranian Primary School Children
A preliminary military investigation currently underway has revealed that the United States was responsible for a missile strike on a primary school in Iran on the first day of conflict, killing at least 168 children and 14 teachers.
The findings of the preliminary military investigation were first disclosed by The New York Times, whilst the official investigation remains ongoing.
The strike on 28 February hit Shajareh Tayyiba School in the city of Minab. Two sources aware of the preliminary investigation results stated that the strike likely occurred because US military personnel used outdated information regarding the location of a nearby naval base facility near the school.
The strike took place whilst US military forces were targeting facilities belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which were located not far from the school.
According to sources familiar with the preliminary investigation, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) created target coordinates for the strike using outdated data provided by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
The outdated information is suspected to be a major factor that caused the strike to hit the primary school.
“This incident is under investigation; for further comment we defer to the Pentagon,” said a DIA spokesman to CNN, reported on Thursday (12/3/2026).
Meanwhile, a CENTCOM spokesman also declined to comment on the preliminary findings because the investigation is ongoing.
Several sources told CNN that the preliminary investigation findings align with increasingly clear indications in recent days that the strike was carried out by the US military.
Old satellite imagery shows that the school and IRGC base were previously within the same complex.
Satellite imagery from 2013 showed that both facilities were still part of a single area. However, in 2016, new imagery showed that a fence had been built to separate the school from the military base area, and a separate entrance created for the school.
Imagery from December 2025 even showed dozens of people in the school’s yard who appeared to be playing or engaged in activities.
US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he was unaware of media reports regarding possible US responsibility for the deadly strike.
“I don’t know about it.”
Previously, Trump had suggested that Iran might be responsible for the strike. However, when asked why no government officials openly supported this claim, he responded “Because I haven’t really known enough about it.”
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt affirmed that the investigation is ongoing.
“As the New York Times acknowledged in its own reporting, the investigation is ongoing,” she said.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday stated that the strike would be thoroughly investigated.
“This strike will be thoroughly investigated,” he said, whilst adding that the US had “made every effort to avoid civilian casualties”.
He instead accused Iran of carrying out indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
Video Evidence and Weapons Analysis
Video located by CNN showed footage of the strike taken from a nearby construction site. The video was released by Iran’s news agency, Mehr News Agency.
The footage showed a missile that, according to experts, was consistent with a US-manufactured BGM or UGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) striking a location within the IRGC base on 28 February.
When the camera then panned to the right, large plumes of smoke were visible from the direction of Shajareh Tayyiba School.
Iranian officials stated they had found missile fragments from the deadly strike location.
CNN’s previous analysis found that the fragments appeared to come from a US-manufactured Tomahawk cruise missile.
Four photographs of the fragments were shared via Telegram by Iran’s state broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). The photos were accompanied by a caption stating that the fragments were remains from the missile used in the strike.
However, it cannot yet be confirmed whether the fragments came from the strike that hit the school, from the strike against the IRGC naval base nearby, or from another location.
Nevertheless, CNN’s analysis and several weapons experts found that the fragments were consistent with US-manufactured Tomahawk missiles.
The cruise missiles are manufactured by US defence contractor Raytheon and are owned by only a small number of US allies who have received special authorisation to purchase them.
Even Israel, one of Washington’s closest allies, does not possess the missiles. Several weapons experts also confirmed to CNN that Iran does not have this weapons system.