US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that nobody intentionally targeted a girls’ school in Iran that was struck during the opening days of the US-Iran conflict, as an investigation into the incident continues.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Trump said the attack on the school in Minab, southern Iran, remains under review and cautioned against drawing conclusions before the probe is completed.
“That’s under investigation,” Trump said. “Nobody did that on purpose.”
The strike, which took place on February 28, reportedly killed more than 175 children and teachers, according to Iranian officials. The incident has become one of the deadliest and most controversial episodes of the conflict.
Reuters previously reported that an initial internal US military investigation indicated American forces were likely responsible for the strike. The Pentagon has since expanded the investigation but has not publicly confirmed any preliminary findings.
Trump initially blamed Iran for the incident without presenting evidence. However, he later acknowledged that he did not have enough information about the strike and said he would accept the findings of the ongoing investigation once it is completed.
The head of US Central Command said last month that the inquiry has been particularly complex because the school was located near an active Iranian cruise missile base. Military officials indicated that investigators are nearing the conclusion of the review.
Archived records from the school’s official website show that the campus was situated adjacent to a compound operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a powerful military organization that reports directly to the country’s supreme leader.
Reuters has also reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that US officials involved in preparing targeting packages may have relied on outdated intelligence when planning operations in the area.
While the Pentagon has not released its final findings, the incident continues to draw scrutiny amid broader questions about civilian casualties and military targeting decisions during the conflict.
Trump acknowledged that mistakes can occur during wartime but maintained that there was no deliberate effort to strike the school.
The final results of the investigation are expected to determine responsibility for the attack and clarify the circumstances that led to one of the conflict’s deadliest civilian tragedies.