Investigation Continues Over U.S. Strikes on Iranian School

Over 100 days have passed since U.S. airstrikes destroyed an elementary school in Minab, a city in southern Iran. The president announced the ongoing investigation into the incident.

A memorial honors those lost at the Iranian school, where officials report at least 175 fatalities. The victims were primarily children.

On June 17, 2026, during a press conference at the Group of 7 summit in France, President Trump addressed inquiries about the strikes. He remarked, “Mistakes are made. War is nasty.” His statement indicated potential U.S. responsibility for the attack.

The assault targeted the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school. Pentagon sources have labeled it an intelligence oversight. While the school had previously been part of a nearby base used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy, outdated imagery misled U.S. military decisions.

Despite the conversion of a base building into a school, those involved in targeting were unaware. This led to the classification of the site as a legitimate target. The first airstrike resulted in numerous casualties, with further loss following a second “double tap” strike.

Examination of imagery shows multiple precision strikes affected both the school and several Revolutionary Guards facilities. The event marks the deadliest incident involving U.S. forces since 1991 when a Baghdad air-raid shelter bombing caused over 400 civilian deaths.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs contributed to the reporting from Évian-les-Bains, France. Max Bearak, a correspondent focusing on breaking and international news for The Times, also reported on the incident.