The bombing of a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, has triggered a diplomatic storm, with Tehran accusing Washington of using Tomahawk missiles and the US deflecting blame back at Iran even as Trump’s own team contradicts itself. Iranian state media reported that 160–175 people were killed, including many children between 7 and 12 years old.
What Did Trump Say?
Speaking to press in Florida on Tuesday (March 10), US President Donald Trump suggested that Iran or some other unnamed country was behind the strike on the Minab school. When asked whether the US would accept responsibility, given that videos appear to show a Tomahawk missile hitting the naval base adjacent to the school, Trump was dismissive.
He pointed to Iran’s alleged munitions failures as evidence of their guilt. “We think it was done by Iran. Because they are very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump also attempted to cast doubt on the missile’s origin. “It’s something that I was told is under investigation, but Tomahawks are used by others. As you know, numerous other nations have Tomahawks. They buy them from us,” he said. That claim, however, doesn’t hold up to scrutiny — the Tomahawk is far from a generic weapon. Only the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia possess them.
A Team Divided
Trump’s own administration has not spoken with one voice. While the President pointed the finger squarely at Tehran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt struck a notably more cautious tone, saying the administration is waiting for investigators to complete their work. “We’ll let that take its course, but we’ll accept the results of that investigation when it comes to light,” she said, declining to address Trump’s public accusations directly.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking last week, also steered clear of blame and emphasized American intent. “The United States would not deliberately target a school. Our objectives are missiles, both the ability to manufacture them and the ability to launch them,” he said, noting that the Pentagon has launched a formal investigation.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, when pressed on Trump’s remarks, similarly fell back on the ongoing investigation but added a pointed claim of his own, asserting that those who kill civilians are the Iranians.
The Tomahawk Evidence
The missile question sits at the heart of the controversy. The New York Times authenticated footage uploaded by Iranian news agency Mehr News, which shows a US Tomahawk cruise missile striking a structure described as a clinic inside a Revolutionary Guards’ base located next to the school.
Further bolstering that account, US Central Command itself released footage of Tomahawk launches on February 28, while senior US military officers had briefed that early salvoes of strikes across Iran’s southern flank included Navy Tomahawks, according to AFP.
What Has Israel Said?
Israel has categorically denied any role in the incident. “We found no connection to IDF operations to the strike… We have checked multiple times and have found no connection between the IDF and whatever happened in that school,” Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani was quoted by AFP.
As the investigation unfolds, the contradictions within the US administration and the authenticated footage pointing toward American-made munitions — are likely to keep this story under intense international scrutiny.
