• US military reviews a deadly strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed potentially 168 children.
• Israeli officials deny involvement amid ongoing international scrutiny.
• Investigation findings may highlight US responsibility but remain inconclusive.
• UN human rights office calls for accountability regarding the strike.

The US military is currently investigating a deadly airstrike on a girls' primary school in Minab, southern Iran, that has been reported to have killed as many as 168 children. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed the ongoing examination, stating, “All I can say is we're investigating that,” while emphasizing that the US military “never targets civilian sites” according to aa and Reuters.

Investigators believe there is a strong likelihood that US forces were responsible for the strike, although they have not reached a final conclusion regarding the incident. The investigation is open to new evidence that could potentially absolve the US or point to additional suspects, implying that the findings are still preliminary according to Reuters and SCMP.

Iran has accused both the US and Israel of being behind the attack, which coincided with a period of escalating US-Israeli military operations in the region. Iranian officials, including the UN ambassador, have confirmed substantial casualties from the strike. The Pentagon has redirected inquiries to its Central Command, which stated that it is inappropriate to comment further while the investigation is ongoing as reported by aa and Reuters.

The dire implications of the strike have drawn international concern, with the UN human rights office calling for a thorough investigation into the incident. “The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it,” stated spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani. The UN emphasized that deliberately targeting civilian structures may constitute a war crime under international humanitarian law, which raises significant concerns over the legality of military actions in this case, as mentioned by Reuters and SCMP.