Minab School Attack: Truth Behind The Tragedy

On 28 February, a catastrophic incident shook the city of Minab in Iran, when a primary school was hit, resulting in the deaths of more than 160 young female students. The tragedy, already widely reported, has taken a new turn with the release of recently analysed video footage, raising questions about the chain of responsibility.

The footage, published by the semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr News, reveals that on the day of the attack, a nearby naval base belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was struck by what appears to be a guided missile. This revelation challenges earlier claims made by former US President Donald Trump, who had directly blamed Iran for the incident.

Recorded from an adjacent construction site, the video shows a powerful missile impacting a building within the IRGC facility. Sam Layer, a researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told CNN that the missile’s structure and wing configuration closely match those of the BGM/UGM-109 Tomahawk land-attack missile, typically deployed by US naval vessels or submarines. Military analysts emphasise that Israel does not possess this type of Tomahawk missile.

The video further captures the aftermath: as the missile strikes, the camera pans to the right, revealing a massive column of smoke rising from the direction of Shazareh Tayyeba School. Panic-stricken civilians are seen running for safety. Although the footage does not directly show the missile hitting the school, experts suggest that the damage to the school and the strike on the IRGC base were likely part of the same coordinated operation.

Earlier reports from CNN and other international media had indicated, based on satellite imagery and expert analysis, that US forces could have been involved. Tomahawk missiles are generally used in the initial phase of establishing air superiority, supporting the theory of a pre-planned strike. Investigators are now attempting to collect and examine missile debris from the school ruins to determine final accountability.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth stated on 8 March that investigations into the attack are ongoing, emphasising that no conclusive determination has yet been made regarding responsibility.

The table below summarises key information about the attack:

The incident has intensified international scrutiny, with calls for a transparent and impartial investigation. Determining the exact sequence of events and responsibility is crucial not only for justice but also to prevent similar tragedies in the future.