Credited from: DAWN
U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an airstrike on a girls' school in Minab, Iran, that killed over 165 children, although no final conclusions have been reached yet, according to multiple reports from Reuters, South China Morning Post, and Dawn.
The strike occurred during the first day of coordinated U.S. and Israeli operations targeting military facilities linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to Iranian officials, the school was hit and many victims were students attending classes, as noted by AA, Middle East Eye, and Los Angeles Times.
Initial assessments suggest the strike may have been a result of "target misidentification," as satellite imagery indicates precise impacts may have coincided with nearby military operations. This analysis was reported by AA and Middle East Eye.
The attack has provoked widespread condemnation, with human rights organizations and the U.N. calling for detailed investigations into the circumstances surrounding the strike. U.N. rights chief Volker Turk emphasized the need for accountability and prompt investigations in light of the heavy civilian casualties, as discussed in reports from Al Jazeera, and Los Angeles Times.
Furthermore, the incident raises critical questions regarding compliance with international humanitarian laws that protect civilian infrastructures like schools during military conflicts. Deliberate attacks against such facilities can be deemed war crimes, hence increasing scrutiny on U.S. military practices in conflicted regions, according to analyses by AA and Los Angeles Times.