America carried out an unprecedented massacre?

According to Iranian health officials and state media, at least 175 people were killed in the attack, the majority of them children.

Evidence analysis, however, indicates that the school was hit at the same time as a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval base, according to The New York Times.

Investigation points to U.S. strike

Although there is no official confirmation yet, a range of evidence collected by the American newspaper—including newly released satellite images, social media posts, and verified video footage—suggests that the school building was severely damaged by a precision strike.

Official statements indicate that U.S. forces were at the time striking naval targets near the Strait of Hormuz, where the IRGC base is located, suggesting that they most likely carried out the attack on the primary school.

However, accurately determining the circumstances is complicated by the lack of visible weapon remnants at the site and the fact that foreign journalists cannot access the location.

The total number of casualties has not yet been independently confirmed, but Iranian sources report that at least 175 people were killed at Shajarah Tayyebeh Primary School, of whom at least 165 were children.

Washington and Tel Aviv provide no clear answers

Days after the attack, American and Israeli officials have neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.

When asked whether the U.S. had conducted an airstrike on the school, White House spokeswoman Karoline Lewitt replied on Wednesday: ‘As far as we know, no,’ adding that ‘the Department of Defense is investigating the case.’

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also stated on Wednesday that the investigation is ongoing.

On the other hand, Israeli army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani told reporters on Sunday that ‘so far, there is no knowledge of any Israeli military operation in the area at that time.’

According to Reuters, U.S. military investigators believe it is possible that the U.S. armed forces were responsible for the attack on the Iranian school, but they have not yet reached a final conclusion or completed the investigation.

Two U.S. officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, did not rule out the possibility that new evidence could emerge exonerating the U.S. and pointing to another responsible party, the agency reported.

Reuters could not determine further details of the investigation, including which evidence contributed to the preliminary assessment, what type of munitions were used, who was responsible, or why the U.S. might have struck the school.

Reconstruction of the Attack

The primary school is located in the city of Minab, more than 950 kilometers from Tehran, but in close proximity to the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Since Saturday marks the start of the workweek in Iran, children and teachers were in class at the time of the attack, Iranian media reported.

The first news of the attacks appeared on social media shortly after 11:30 a.m. local time.

Analysis of posts, photos, and video footage taken within the first hour after the strike confirms that the school was hit simultaneously with the naval base.

One geolocated image shows several large columns of smoke rising above the area of the base and the school.

Footage showing extensive damage to the school building was quickly released by an Iranian human rights organization, and videos published by Iranian media and independently verified by The New York Times show many people searching through the rubble for survivors and victims.

To more closely assess the damage, The New York Times commissioned new satellite images, which confirmed that at least six Revolutionary Guard buildings, as well as the school, were hit by multiple precision strikes.

Four buildings within the naval base were completely destroyed, while the other two sustained roof damage consistent with precision strikes.

‘Perfectly Precise Strikes’

Wes J. Bryant, a national security analyst and former senior advisor on civilian casualties at the Pentagon, reviewed the new satellite images and concluded that all the buildings, including the school, were hit by ‘perfectly precise’ strikes.

Bryant, who has been critical of the Trump administration, believes that the most likely explanation is ‘target misidentification,’ meaning that the attackers struck the location without knowing that a large number of civilians were inside.