The strike appears to have been part of a broader operation against a nearby naval base, according to newly released satellite imagery, verified videos, and social media posts.
A New York Times investigative report revealed that the February 28 attack on an elementary school in Minab, southern Iran, was linked to a US military operation against an adjacent naval base. The strike on the school is now considered the deadliest known case of civilian casualties since the onset of US and Israeli aggression on Iran began, though no party has yet claimed responsibility.
The Times stated that a collection of evidence—including fresh satellite images, social media posts, and verified videos—shows the school building suffered severe damage from a precise strike. It added that no visible weapon remnants were found at the scene.
Iranian health officials and state media reported at least 175 children and school staff have been killed at the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school.
In the days following the incident, US officials neither confirmed nor denied involvement. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated on Wednesday that investigations into the attack are ongoing. Yet, the Times noted that American officials have publicly acknowledged US aircraft were conducting operations in the area where the school was located on the same day.
Satellite imagery indicates that multiple precision strikes targeted at least six buildings, including four within the naval base that were completely destroyed. Two other structures, including the school, sustained direct hits to their rooftops, consistent with the pattern of precision airstrikes.
Wes J. Bryant, a national security analyst and former US Air Force officer who advised the Pentagon on civilian harm mitigation, reviewed the new satellite images. He told the Times that all buildings, including the school, were struck by “highly precise and deliberate” attacks. Bryant suggested the most plausible explanation was a “target misidentification,” where forces unknowingly struck a civilian-occupied building.
The Times emphasized that the school’s features—such as a sports field and recreational areas—were clearly visible in satellite imagery, casting doubt on the possibility of a misidentification. Online speculation that a stray Iranian missile caused the damage was dismissed by the newspaper and other analysts, who argued that a wayward missile could not have inflicted such precise, coordinated destruction across multiple structures.
The New York Times reported that some online theories suggest a misfired Iranian missile caused the strike on the school. However, the newspaper and other analysts dismissed this claim, arguing that a stray missile could not have inflicted such precise and coordinated damage across multiple buildings within the naval base.
The report underscores the lack of accountability for the attack, which stands as one of the deadliest civilian incidents since the escalation of US-led strikes in the region.