Video Confirmed a US Tomahawk Hit a School in Iran. 168 Dead. The US Is Investigating. Iran Calls It a War Crime.

A US Tomahawk missile hit a girls' school in Iran on February 28. Video confirms it. 168 dead — most of them children aged seven to twelve. The Pentagon is investigating. Human Rights Watch calls it a potential war crime. The gap between "investigating tragic error" and "war crime" is everything.

What the Video Shows

Multiple open-source investigators verified the same footage. Bellingcat, The Guardian, BBC, The New York Times, Washington Post, and AP all reached the same conclusion: a US Tomahawk missile struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, southern Iran.

The school sits on the interior border of an IRGC naval compound. But it's walled off. Separate entrance. No security post. Watchtowers near the school were removed in 2016. Brightly painted murals visible from above. Soccer field markings in the courtyard.

Saturday morning, 10:45am. Classes in session — Iran's school week runs Saturday to Thursday. Seven-to-twelve-year-old girls were in their classrooms when the missile hit.

Human Rights Watch analyzed 14 videos and photos posted right after the strike. Black smoke from the collapsed roof. Soccer pitch lines visible through rubble. A volleyball net. Colourful backpacks covered in blood and dust. Small body bags.

Death toll: 168, per Iranian state media. At least 110 children. 95 injured.

The Perception Gap

US framing: "We're investigating. We would never deliberately target a school."

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on March 4: "All I can say is that we're investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets, but we're taking a look and investigating that."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "The Department of War would be investigating ​that if that was our strike."

Two US officials told Reuters they believe US forces were "likely responsible" but haven't reached a final conclusion.

Middle East framing: Deliberate attack on civilians. War crime. Children massacred.

Iranian authorities blamed the US-Israeli coalition immediately. UNESCO called it a "grave violation" of international humanitarian law. Human Rights Watch: "An unlawful attack that should be investigated as a war crime."

The school's principal died in the strike. So did several teachers. Iranian Red Crescent Society: "Due to the limited capacity of the hospital morgue, refrigerated vehicles have reportedly been used to store the bodies of the victims."

One distraught man stood in the ruins waving textbooks. "These are the schoolbooks of the children who are under these ruins. You can see the blood of these children on these books. These are civilians, who are not in the military. This was a school and they came to study."

What the Evidence Actually Shows

Satellite imagery analysis is clear. At least eight structures across the IRGC compound were directly struck by munitions. The school was one of them.

The strike pattern — distinct structures hit across the compound, circular entry points on multiple buildings — tells investigators this wasn't errant fire. Guided munitions hitting exactly where they were aimed.

The question isn't whether a US missile hit near the school. It's whether the school was targeted directly, or whether it was collateral damage from strikes on the adjacent IRGC naval base.

Human Rights Watch found no evidence the school served any military purpose. Walled off. Separate street entrance. Classes for local kids, many from families who couldn't afford private fees.

But the school sat meters from IRGC facilities. A medical clinic, a cultural complex, barracks — ten buildings across the compound, nearly all damaged.

The Legal Standard

International humanitarian law is clear: deliberately attacking a school is a war crime.

Even if the target was the IRGC naval base, the law prohibits attacks where civilian harm is disproportionate to military gain.

Reuters: "Deliberately attacking a school or hospital or any ​other civilian structure would likely be a war crime under international humanitarian law. If a U.S. role were to be confirmed, the strike would rank among the worst cases of civilian casualties."

Human Rights Watch: "A prompt and thorough investigation is needed into this attack, including if those responsible should have known that a school was there and that it would be full of children and their teachers before midday."

The timing matters. 10:45am on a Saturday. School day in Iran. Classrooms full. The school called parents to pick up children after strikes began at 9:40am. The explosion came minutes later. Families didn't have time.

What Each Side Emphasizes

US narrative focuses on:

• Ongoing investigation
• No deliberate targeting of civilians
• Precision strikes on military infrastructure
• Iranian forces potentially placing civilians at risk by locating military facilities near schools

Middle East narrative focuses on:

• 168 dead, 110 children
• Video evidence of US Tomahawk
• School clearly marked, visible from satellite
• Children's bodies pulled from rubble
• "The most bitter news"

European/International framers:

• War crime allegations warrant investigation
• Laws of war violated if school deliberately struck
• Even if IRGC base was target, civilian harm appears disproportionate
• French President Macron called strikes "illegal under international law"

What Nobody's Saying Out Loud

Both militaries have advanced intelligence capabilities. Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said the Iran operation was "the culmination of months, and in some cases, years of deliberate planning."

Israeli military stated attacks were based on "precise intelligence."

Years of planning. Precision-guided strikes. The school's location next to the IRGC base would've been known. Satellite imagery showing its separate entrance and painted murals was publicly available.

Human Rights Watch: "Investigations into the attack should consider whether those responsible acted recklessly, including if they should have known that they were attacking a school, and that an attack during the middle of the day on a school day would have most likely resulted in a large number of civilian casualties."

The Buried Context

Trump's Defense Department has gutted civilian protection protocols. Senior military lawyers fired. Targeting rules loosened. "Civilian environment teams" and "red-teams" cut from the operational chain.

Hegseth commented about "stupid rules of engagement" potentially interfering with "fight[ing] to win."

Congress hasn't held hearings on whether these rollbacks contributed to civilian harm in Iran.

The Numbers

168 dead. At least 110 children. 95 injured. 57 names announced by Minab County's Special Governor's Office by March 2. Of those, at least 48 were children based on birth dates.

Satellite imagery of Minab Hermud cemetery: at least 100 new graves dug between March 1-4. Funerals on March 3. Fourteen caskets placed. Others empty.

The broader toll: Iranian Red Crescent reported 555 killed across Iran in the first wave. Human Rights Activist news agency counted 742 civilians, 85 confirmed and verified. 176 children total.

What Comes Next

The US investigation continues. No timeline. No word on whether findings will go public.

Human Rights Watch wants a thorough, independent probe. "Those responsible for any war crimes should be held to account, including prosecutions of anyone responsible."

Iran imposed a near-total internet shutdown after strikes began. 98% of traffic dropped. Independent documentation blocked.

Top Senate Democrats condemned the school strike, saying they were "horrified" by reports of civilian deaths.

The gap between "we're investigating" and "this was a war crime" won't close. Both sides have their narrative. The video evidence sits in the middle. A US Tomahawk. A girls' school. 168 dead. Most of them children.

The only question left: whether anyone will be held accountable.

FAQs

Has the US confirmed it struck the school?

Not officially. Two US officials told Reuters they believe US forces were "likely responsible" but the investigation isn't complete. Defense Secretary Hegseth said "we're investigating" and "would not deliberately target a school."

Could this legally be considered a war crime?

Under international humanitarian law, deliberately attacking a school is a war crime. Even if the intended target was the adjacent IRGC naval base, the law prohibits attacks where anticipated civilian harm is disproportionate to military gain. Human Rights Watch says it should be investigated as a potential war crime.

How do we know the death toll is accurate?

Iranian state media reported 168 dead, 110 children. Human Rights Watch couldn't independently verify the full number due to Iran's internet shutdown and communication restrictions, but confirmed at least 57 names with at least 48 children, and identified 25 additional names from body bags and caskets. Satellite imagery shows at least 100 new graves at the local cemetery.

Why was a school located next to a military base?

The school predates some IRGC facilities and was walled off with a separate entrance by 2016. It enrolled local children, particularly from families who couldn't afford private schools. The question investigators are asking: should attackers have known a functioning school with classes in session sat meters from their target?

What's the US Defense Department's track record on investigating its own strikes?

Mixed. Previous administrations conducted investigations but accountability for civilian casualties has been inconsistent. The Trump administration has eliminated several civilian protection measures including "civilian environment teams" and loosened targeting protocols, raising questions about whether systemic changes contributed to this incident.