U.S. Military Reports Differ on School Strike During Iran Operations

U.S. officials initially stated that an Iranian missile struck an elementary school in Minab, Iran, during operations on February 28, 2026. The strike killed 156 people, most of them children. A military commander later told Congress that the school sits on an active cruise missile base.

Government sources have since told multiple news outlets that the building was hit by a U.S. Tomahawk missile due to outdated intelligence.

Background on the Strike The school had been separated from nearby military barracks, a clinic, and a gym ten years earlier. Reports indicate the U.S. military struck the school at least twice, including a direct hit on the ground floor. Iranian opposition media documented 1,701 civilian deaths during the conflict, including 254 children.

A separate strike two hours later hit a gym in Lamerd, Iran, killing 21 people, according to the same reports.

April 2, a U.S. strike hit an unfinished highway bridge outside Tehran, killing 13 people at a nearby picnic. Officials stated the bridge was targeted to move missile parts. During a congressional hearing, a representative asked whether officials would acknowledge responsibility for the Minab strike. The commander replied that the incident was something they did not want to repeat.