U.S. Investigation Suggests Washington Responsible for Attack Targeting School in Iran

SadaNews - Two American officials said, according to Reuters, that U.S. military investigators believe U.S. forces are likely responsible for an attack that targeted a girls' school in Iran, resulting in the deaths of dozens of children on Saturday; however, they have not yet reached a final conclusion and have not completed their investigation.

Details about the investigation remain unclear, including the evidence that this preliminary assessment is based on, the type of ordnance used, who is responsible, or the reason why it's likely that the U.S. targeted the school.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged on Wednesday that the military is investigating the incident.

The two officials, who declined to be named, did not rule out the possibility that new evidence might emerge that could exonerate the United States from responsibility and point to another party responsible for the attack.

A girls' school in the city of Minab in southern Iran was attacked on Saturday, the first day the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on the Islamic Republic.

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said the attack killed 150 students.

The White House did not directly comment on the investigation, but its spokesperson Caroline Levitt said in a statement: "While the Department of Defense is currently investigating this matter, the Iranian regime is targeting civilians and children, not the United States."

When asked about the incident during a press briefing on Wednesday, Hegseth responded, "We have initiated an investigation into this matter. We certainly do not target civilian objectives. But we are studying the matter and conducting an investigation."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday that the United States would not deliberately target a school.

He added: "The Department of Defense will conduct an investigation if we were the ones who carried out this attack, and I refer your question to them."