What was their crime ?: BBC visits Iran school in Minab where strike killed 120 children

What Happened

On 28 February, during the opening hours of the US-Israeli war with Iran, a strike hit Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, southern Iran. According to the Minab prosecutor's office, 156 people were killed, including 120 children, a pregnant woman, and her unborn child, making it the deadliest civilian incident of the conflict. The school is located next to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) compound that satellite imagery shows was struck multiple times. Evidence indicates that US forces carried out the strike; US media have reported, citing sources familiar with the military investigation, that preliminary findings suggest outdated intelligence from the Defence Intelligence Agency may have caused the school to be mistakenly treated as part of the military compound. The United States has not admitted responsibility. President Donald Trump initially blamed Iran without providing evidence. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that US forces never target civilian targets and announced a higher-level investigation led by an officer outside US Central Command. Eyewitness accounts from a teacher and a rescue worker describe the collapse of the upper floor onto the lower floor, the disfigured remains of victims, and the desperation of families.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The strike represents the single largest loss of civilian life in the US-Israeli war on Iran, highlighting the severe human cost and the risks of military operations near civilian infrastructure. The incident challenges the US administration's claim that only military and security targets are being struck and could intensify domestic and international criticism, fuel anti-American sentiment, and complicate diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict. The proximity of the school to an IRGC compound raises questions about target selection protocols and intelligence accuracy.

Watch For

The release of findings from the US military's higher-level investigation, led by an officer outside Centcom, which may confirm or refute the unintentional nature of the strike and identify the source of the intelligence failure. Potential US admission of responsibility, disciplinary actions, or changes in targeting procedures. International calls for war crimes investigations. Iranian retaliation or propaganda leveraging the incident.