WASHINGTON, June 25 (Parliament Politics Magazine) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that it may never be known who was at fault for the February 28 strike on a girls’ school in Iran, which killed more than 175 children and teachers.
The attack occurred in Minab on the first day of the conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
“I don’t know that they are ever going to solve that problem in terms of whose fault was it because there were missiles flying all over the place, and it’s horrible what happened but there were missiles flying all over the place,” Trump told reporters.
The president expressed doubt that investigators would reach a conclusive finding regarding the strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school. While initial reports from March suggested an internal U.S. military investigation indicated U.S. forces were likely responsible due to outdated targeting data, the Pentagon has not acknowledged these findings. The school was adjacent to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base, which was a intended target during the bombardment.
Trump’s public statements regarding the incident have changed since the event took place. He initially claimed without providing evidence that Iran was responsible for the destruction. Later, during the G7 summit in France, he characterized the event as an unintentional mistake, noting that nobody carried out the action on purpose. His current position emphasizes the chaotic nature of the combat environment, suggesting that the volume of missiles used makes it difficult to assign blame to any specific party.
The strike has faced intense international scrutiny, with the U.N. Human Rights Office describing the event as absolutely horrific. Under international humanitarian law, deliberately attacking a school is considered a war crime. U.S. officials have maintained that Washington does not target schools. When asked about the ongoing inquiry during the briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted that the military takes the investigation seriously and will provide an outcome when the time is appropriate.
The uncertainty surrounding the strike has influenced domestic politics. A U.S. Senate vote recently saw a War Powers Resolution pass with a 50-48 margin, calling for the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran. This legislative move serves as a significant rebuke of current war strategies.
Verification efforts were complicated by a communications blackout in the Hormozgan province, which left local residents without phone or internet access during the initial days of the war. This environment allowed various theories to circulate, including early claims that a malfunctioning Iranian missile caused the school’s collapse. Human rights organizations have highlighted that if U.S. responsibility is confirmed, the incident would represent one of the deadliest civilian casualty events linked to American military operations in the last two decades.
