Although a U.S. investigation is underway, PresidentDonald Trumpisblaming Iran for the Feb. 28 bombingthat Iranian officials saykilled 175 people and decimated Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary, a girls' school in Minab.
Trump made the accusations while aboard Air Force One on March 7, soon after heattended the dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Basefor six U.S. servicemembers who were killed in an Iranian drone attack during the first weekend of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
"In my opinion, based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran," Trump said, adding that Iran was "very inaccurate" with their munitions targeting.
"They have no accuracy whatsoever," he said. "It was done by Iran."
U.S. Secretary of WarPete Hegsethadded that "The only side that targets civilians is Iran." He said that an investigation into the bombing is ongoing.
Iranian officials have blamed both the United States and Israel for the deadly strike.
Here's what else Trump's administration has said about the bombing.
This picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency shows the site of
a strike on a girls' school in Minab, in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, on February 28, 2026. Iranian authorities
said the strike killed up to 175 people, most of them elementary-school-aged girls. It may be the deadliest known mass casualty event involving civilians of the war so far, though USA TODAY could not independently verify many details about the incident including the exact death toll, the identities of those involved and who was responsible for the strike.
According to
President Donald Trump, the United States joined Israel in
launching military strikes, as well as "major combat operations," to target Iran's missile capabilities. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the joint strikes with Israel on Iran, an Israeli source confirmed to USA TODAY. Trump also confirmed on Truth Social that the leader had been killed." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Over 100 killed at girls' school in Iran amid US-Israeli strikes
This picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency shows the site ofa strike on a girls' school in Minab, in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, on February 28, 2026. Iranian authoritiessaid the strike killed up to 175 people, most of them elementary-school-aged girls. It may be the deadliest known mass casualty event involving civilians of the war so far, though USA TODAY could not independently verify many details about the incident including the exact death toll, the identities of those involved and who was responsible for the strike.According toPresident Donald Trump, the United States joined Israel inlaunching military strikes, as well as "major combat operations," to target Iran's missile capabilities. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the joint strikes with Israel on Iran, an Israeli source confirmed to USA TODAY. Trump also confirmed on Truth Social that the leader had been killed.
'The United States does not target civilians,' White House says
Despite Trump's assertions, questions remain regarding who is responsible for the strike at the Iranian girls' school that killed 175 people, with the majority of victims being children, including dozens of girls ages 7 to 12, according to theIranian news agency IRNA and Iranian officials.
Reutersand The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed U.S. sources, reported that U.S. military investigators believe it is "likely" that U.S. forces hit the girls' school.
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In response to Reuters' reporting, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said, "This investigation is ongoing.There are no conclusions at this time, and it is both irresponsible and false for Reuters to claim otherwise."
"As we have said, unlike the terrorist Iranian regime, the United States does not target civilians," Kelly added.
The Pentagon has remained quiet about the bombing, except to say it is investigating reports of civilian casualties.
Did the US shoot missiles in the area of the girls' school?
During a March 4news briefing, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that the United States carried out strikes in the vicinity of the girl's school. Caine, shining a laser pointer on a map that showed impacts in the region, described U.S. forces focused on southern Iran, while Israel concentrated on the northern part of the country.
"Along the southern axis, the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln strike group has continued to provide pressure from the sea along the southeastern side of the coast and has been attriting naval capability all along the strait and up into the Arabian Gulf," Caine said.
Ananalysis from the International Institute for Strategic Studiesalso described U.S. efforts as focused on south and central Iran and Israel's on the country's northern region.
"We are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations. We take these reports seriously and are looking into them," Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for the U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the region, has said.
Contributing: Josh Meyer, Ramon Padilla & Kim Hjelmgaard/ USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump blames Iran for girls' school bombing that killed 175
Although a U.S. investigation is underway, PresidentDonald Trumpisblaming Iran for the Feb. 28 bombingthat Iranian offici...
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